A medical team including six doctors from Operation International from the US is conducting total knee replacement surgery for elderly people at Central Regional Referral Hospital in Gelephu. The surgery is for elderly people suffering from chronic knee problems due to ageing and injuries among others. The surgery camp started yesterday and will end on Friday. Operation International is a secular, non-political, humanitarian organisation founded in 1996.
The 22-member team performed three surgeries yesterday. During the surgery, the damaged joint was replaced with metal which would restore mobility and reduce pain.
Patients said they have been struggling with knee pain for a long time, making it difficult to perform even simple tasks.
Now, with the surgery, they are hopeful that they will be able to walk and move around without much pain.
Patients came all the way to Gelephu from other districts for the surgery.
“I endured pains before the surgery. Right now, I cannot bend my knee joint but I am feeling better,” said Deli Ram Archariya, a patient.
“I refused to undergo surgery in the past but could not bear the pain. This time, I came for surgery as I heard that there would be doctors coming from abroad,” said Khando, another patient.
According to the Medical Superintendent of the Central Regional Referral Hospital, 47 elderly people from across the country have registered for knee replacement surgery. Of that, 29 are women.
Karma Wangdi
Edited by Tshering Zam
