When the centenarian refused to take wheelchair

International Critical Care Air Transfer team (ICATT) co-founder Dr Shalini Nalwad and her team facilitated airlifting of Siddaganga seer Shivakumara Swamiji to a Chennai hospital, a top notch liver care centre.

On Thursday evening, the ICATT team was called in to fly a doctor from Dr Rela’s Institute and Medical Centre. A while later, the team of doctors decided to airlift the seer from HAL airport in Bengaluru on Friday.

Speaking to DH,Dr Shalini said, “The seer refused to take the wheelchair at Chennai airport and walked all the way to the car. Even at the hospital, he chose to walk. In the aircraft, the seer only asked as to how long it would take for the aircraft to land in Chennai. Since the entire journey was well co-ordinated, it just took 1.5 hours from Tumakuru Mutt to the Chennai hospital,” added Dr Shalini.

Dr B S Ravindra, gastroenterologist said that there are already 10 stents being implanted in the common bile duct and there is no place for more stents. Since Dr Mohamed Rela is an expert in this field, and also considering the seer’s age, the doctors decided to shift him to Chennai, so that the seer gets treated under an expert.