Kolkata doctor becomes kin of PoK woman to complete legal formalities for surgery – Times of India

KOLKATA: From NRS Medical College that was her home for over a decade to Calcutta Pavlov Hospital where she is housed now, Barao Abdullah’s journey has been full of twists and turns. Believed to be from PoK (Pakistan-occupied Kashmir), the 55-year-old has no one in Kolkata to call her own.
Yet, the city of joy didn’t let her down in times of need. Last week, Barao underwent cataract surgery in both eyes where the psychiatry department head Calcutta National Medical College and Hospital (CNMCH) became her guardian and signed documents needed as legal formalities for the surgery.

“My eyes are still in pain. Otherwise I am fine and happy,” Barao told TOI over phone. She had undergone the surgery at CNMCH under professor Mukul Biswas, the ophthalmology head. She was discharged and shifted to Pavlov on Sunday.
Rescued by NGO Diganta in April 2006 from the highway in Contai, the famished and distraught Barao was admitted to NRS Medical College where she was found to be suffering from mental health issues. Believed to be from Harchowal in PoK, all attempts to locate her family and repatriate had failed. She was shifted to Pavlov from NRS in April 2017.
“She initially suffered from psychological issues, including hallucination. During the course of treatment, she has recovered well and needs only a few medications now. Very well-behaved, she seems to be from a good family. It is sad that she continues to live in the hospital. But we have been trying to make life easier for her and she has adapted quite well,” said Srijit Ghosh, psychiatry head at CNMCH, who has been involved in Barao’s care right from the first day at NRS.
The academy ward at Pavlov, which functions under CNMCH, is now home to Barao. The ward houses patients who are not violent. Barao who can read and write now speaks Bengali as well. But the 55-year-old still yearns for her family.
On Valentine’s Day, Hansi Mitra, former NRS nurse who too had taken care of Barao for 11 years till her retirement, visited her. Mitra’s bonding with Barao continues and the former nurse visits her every week with home-cooked food, showers her with gifts on special occasions. “She looks forward to my visit every week and I would not disappoint her as long as I can. But I would have been the happiest if she got reunited with her family. Even as she seems to have reconciled to fate, she still yearns for her family,” said Mitra.