With surgeon missing, Mizoram MLA operates on woman

Imphal: Setting an example for the political class in the country, 52-year-old MLA from Mizoram, K Beichhua, took matters into his own hands to save the life of an ailing patient when he found that the surgeon way away.

The Saiha civil hospital in Mizoram has seven doctors, but only one surgeon, who was away at a training camp in Imphal when the patient developed complications and required the operation, prompting the MLA to pitch in, the Hindustan Times reported.

Beichhua is a qualified doctor from the regional medical college, Imphal and graduated in 1991.

The politician was informed that a 35-year old woman was suffering severe abdominal pain and needed to be operated immediately. And the dutiful doctor that he is, he dropped all his political engagements to treat the patient after he was it came to light that the surgeon at Saiha district hospital was away on a training programme in Imphal.

“The woman’s stomach had a large perforation (hole) and if the operation had not been performed, she may have died,” he said, adding that the patient was fine and that she was laughing the last time he went to check on her.

Dr Beichhua, whose wife is also a doctor, served as a general practitioner for 20-years before he joined the Mizo National Front in 2013. He had earlier contested the Saifa seat in Mizoram as an independent in 2008, but was unsuccessful.  

“I have performed hundreds of operations during my career, but the last one was in December 2013 after I got elected as an MLA,” he said.