Dr Ashraf Ghani, president of Afghanistan, recently visited India, but than he would not have imagined that the “great friend”, India will carry out the relationship so well. That India’s friendship won’t only be diplomatic but would reflect on ground as well through common Indians.Showing the true spirit of friendship, a hospital in India transplanted the hands of an Afghan military captain when he lost both his hands three years back in a war in Kandahar while defusing a land mine.
The surgery carried out over a month ago lasted 15 hours, one hour less than the first such transplant at the hospital. "His hand structure was good and the progress has been fast, driven largely by his willpower. Two bones, two arteries, five veins, five nerves and 25 tendons were joined in each hand," said Dr Subramania Iyer, head and neck surgeon who led the team of 20 surgeons and eight anaesthetics.
Rahim had defused nearly 2,000 land mines in his life. "We had defused 30 mines on the day. The 31st one burst in my hand. It was remote-controlled and the man who activated it got Rs 40 lakh for maiming me," he said.
The search for a donor began three years ago. "President Karzai had promised all help.
I went to Iran, but could not get a donor. After looking at the options of Germany, America and India, I reached New Delhi, where I was told about doctors at Amrita hospital," he said.
The doctors here were not sure of finding a donor. "The rules demand that priority should be given to local patients. When the family of 54-year-old T G Joseph, a brain dead person, agreed to donate his hands, we called the patient on the wait list. They were not ready and thus Rahim got it," Dr Iyer said.