Treatment of suggested amputation in just Rs.40,000

Jitey Tamang, 73, is a permanent resident of Gairimudi village of Dolakha Biteshwar village, but he has lived in Siliguri, India since the age of thirteen.

But he has come to Charikot, his birthplace, to treat his arm which was broken six years ago. Jitey, who was resting after an operation on Tuesday, said he was happy that his hands would be same as before after six years.

Six years ago, his right hand was broken after being hit by a motorcycle in Siliguri, India. Immediately after the accident, he was plastered in a broken arm at a clinic in Siliguri. After a few days of plastering, he cut the plaster himself and started treating with homemade herbal medicine, believing in his neighbours saying it would treat better than medicines.

With herbal remedies, his hand began to deteriorate more and cause problems. He then went to the clinic where he first got his hand plastered. But after being told by the clinic doctor that he has to amputate the hand and nearly 200,000 Rupees is needed for that, he had been hanging his broken arm for the past six years.

Though living in Siliguri, India, he used to go to Gairimudi, his birth house often. In the meantime, Jitey’s son in law Pahal Thami, who is based in Charikot, brought Jitey Tamang to proposed Charikot Hospital under the management of Nyaya Health Nepal for treatment. Tamang thanked the doctors involved in his treatment, son-in-law and his birthplace for treating his hand in just 40,000 Rupees even without amputating, saying that Indian doctor suggested amputation but in Nepal itis treated without much hassle.

The broken arm of Tamang was treated by the team of senior orthopaedic doctor Dr Mandeep Pathak and MDGP doctor Tulakrishna Gupta. According to Dr.Mandeep Pathak, a senior orthopaedic specialist involved in the treatment said titanium plate has been inserted in Tamang’s arm with complex surgery of the hand.

Dr Pathak said it was very difficult to get titanium plate inserted because the bone in his hand had been deteriorated a lot. Dr Tulakrishna Gupta, MDGP, involved in the treatment, said it took more than two hours for the surgery.

Dr Mandeep said that Tamang’s hand will take 5 to 6 months to recover and the hand will work as before. There is a free and quality treatment of orthopaedic patients at the proposed Charikot Hospital. Dr Tulakrishna Gupta said that buying Titanium plate cost 40,000 Rupees otherwise all the treatment is for free with the help of Nepal Orthopedic Association.