Oct 31: After herculean six hours surgery, Hari Adhikari, General Secretary of Bhutan National Democratic Party (BNDP), who is now in California in USA under resettlement program, has finally started to improve his deteriorated health status.
‘Had it not been such prompt attention and specialized service, I wouldn’t have been the same man. Indeed, this is why I decided to be here for my better health,’ said Adhikari.
According to Adhikari, he had heart ailment for more than three years. He frequently visited Siliguri, Sikkim and Delhi in India.
‘I approached United Nation High Commissioner’s office in Kathmandu for my treatment, but the policy did not cover my kind of illness,’ added Adhikari.
Adhikari further informed BNS that Abhram Abhram, the then UNHCR Country Representative in Nepal, had once recommended him with a request letter to Dr Bhagwan Koirala at Sahid Ganga Lal Heart Research Center in the capital city of Nepal for his better treatment.
“I was diagnosed blockade in my two arteries through angiogram. I was recommended for a surgery but having left everything back home in Bhutan; my means to meet the financial costs was a mere dream. That is one of the reasons that prompted me to opt for resettlement too,” said Adhikari, who is now taking rest at his own apartment.
Adhikari, who arrived in USA on July 27 in San Diego, California, was hospitalized on October 22 at Grossmont hospital, San Diego. A team of specialists led by Dr Howden, Dr Robert Young and Dr Kadk successfully unblocked his three arteries in the operation that ran for hours.
‘I am really thankful to these doctors and the government of United States for such timely care. I am fine and put up for follow up for three months,’ said Adhikari.
Adhikari, former National Assembly (NA) member of Bhutan is the founding member of BNDP who joined the movement for democratic change in 1990.
Adhikari is a senior political leader who played major role in the movement launched by Bhutanese Coalition for Democratic Movement (BCDM) in 1997 and subsequent movements under United Front for Democracy (UFD).
Meanwhile, Mohan Tamang, president of Democratic Youth of Bhutan, who has been assisting Adhikari to ensure goodwill support to him from within the community and well-wishers, expressed his happiness over successful surgery.
Talking to BNS over telephone, Tamang also said that the offer of resettlement, has finally given new life to a political leader whose contribution for the Bhutanese movement was unavoidable in the upcoming days.
By TP Mishra/New York
