Nagpur: Indian embassy in Nepal has offered to arrange an air ambulance for the 73-year-old woman from Nagpur who remains stranded at a hospital in Kathmandu. The rest of the 105 pilgrims who travelled with her have reached Nagpur following the intervention by state govt.The group was forced to leave behind Vimla Pandey in Nepal after she developed a serious health complication a day before the floods. They admitted her to the hospital and also pooled in money for initial medical expenses. Her family is now waiting for a green signal from doctors in Nepal who would be assessing her medical condition before allowing her to be flown to India.TOI had reported about her condition on Aug 29 when the rest of the pilgrims had started for India. Still in a critical state, a temporary pacemaker has been installed in her body at Kathmandu’s Shahid Gangalal National Heart Centre, where Vimala has spent nearly a week.Vimala’s son Rupesh met Union minister Nitin Gadkari seeking help. He requested Gadkari to arrange an air ambulance as it is not possible to bring back Vimala on a normal flight. It is learnt that the family is not in a position to pay for the air ambulance.A day after Rupesh met Gadkari, a senior official from Indian embassy met the patient’s grandson Aditya Pandey, who had rushed to Nepal after getting a message from the group members. The group left after Rupesh reached Nepal.“A doctor from the Indian embassy met me in the hospital. He said that they are ready to fly her to Nagpur in an air ambulance. He also called up a flight operator who confirmed that an aircraft to Nagpur can be arranged. The officer has asked me to get a consent letter from doctors at Shahid Gangalal National Heart Centre. The air ambulance would be arranged as soon as the hospital gives a green signal,” Aditya said.Meanwhile, Vimala’s condition remains critical. Doctors told Aditya that she has also developed complications in the kidney.
