Karma Dema, a college student from Bhutan, is set to depart for home on Monday after undergoing a groundbreaking nine-hour nose reconstruction surgery at the Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery. The announcement was made by the minister on Sunday, confirming Dema’s scheduled departure on a Drukair-Royal Bhutan Airlines flight at 9:00 am.
Dema’s journey to recovery began with her battle against nasal cavity cancer, which was successfully treated. However, she faced further challenges due to structural damage to her nose resulting from complications from radiotherapy. Despite undergoing two surgeries at Tata Memorial Hospital in India, her damaged nose remained unrepaired.
Turning to Bangladesh for treatment, Dema became the first foreign patient to seek medical care in the country on a medical visa. On 9 January, a collaborative effort by three teams of plastic surgeons at the Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery resulted in a successful nose reconstruction surgery for Dema. The procedure, supervised by Dr. Samanta Lal, the institute’s chief coordinator at the time, marked a significant milestone for Bangladesh’s healthcare sector.
Minister Samanta Lal Sen hailed the successful treatment as a notable achievement for Bangladesh’s healthcare system, expressing plans to extend healthcare services and technology to other SAARC nations such as Nepal and the Maldives.
This success story follows Bangladesh’s commitment to international healthcare outreach, exemplified by a 14-member team of plastic surgeons, led by Dr. Samanta Lal, who traveled to Bhutan on 25 September 2023. The team conducted a seven-day plastic surgery camp in Thimphu, the capital of Bhutan, in honor of the birth centenary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. During the camp, Bangladeshi surgeons performed 16 complex plastic surgeries, including Dema’s nose reconstruction.
With no plastic surgery department in Bhutan, Dema’s case underscores the importance of international collaboration in healthcare. Invited by Bangladeshi surgeons during the camp, Dema and one of her brothers traveled to Bangladesh on 14 December last year for treatment, receiving support from both the Bhutanese and Bangladeshi governments throughout her medical journey.
