NEW DELHI: Sonam Wangchuk has been admitted to Safdarjung Hospital due to what health professionals claim to be a long-term hunger strike. Although his health status is being checked by doctors, there are still no improvements in his condition. Wangchuk’s partner, Dr Gitanjali J. Angmo, has already submitted a petition in the High Court to help Wangchuk move into a private hospital.
Sonam Wangchuk Health Update: Delhi High Court Questions ‘Urgent Need’ to Shift Wangchuk to Hospital
Justice Mini Pushkarna inquired from the government, being represented by ASG Chetan Sharma, “Some compelling circumstances that you took him to the hospital, any urgent need?”
ASG Chetan Sharma responded, “Yes, his deteriorating condition… this was the 18th day of fasting and the weather, which is humid, can dehydrate…and this can lead to a syndrome called ketosis, I’m told. Upfront it may or may not reflect on the (blood) parameters (immediately) but later on in the cumulative deterioration or assessment of parameters, it can lead to something called septicemic shock…So this has to be patient-centric and all-round appreciation of the medical condition. We have not one but two doctors looking after him.”
Sonam Wangchuk Health Update: Doctors Update Court on Sonam Wangchuk’s Health
Dr Akshay Kumar, additional professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine at AIIMS New Delhi, updated the court on Sonam Wangchuk’s condition.
“He started some oral fluids, and he started in the evening taking potassium oral fluids since that was low, and he had ORS, although we wanted him to take normal ORS. We tried continuously to talk to him to take IV fluids, but he is refusing it.”
Dr Kumar added, “He needs to take vitamins; we start with thymine…but we cannot give him that since he is not allowing IV access. Some of his parameters are borderline, like potassium.”
“Sugar levels also have been on the lower side of normal, between 65 and 75…recent blood gas report shows ketosis because he is breaking down fats to ketones; that means he is dehydrated, which means he needs carbohydrates with potassium. That is if we wish to get better.”
Sonam Wangchuk Health Update: Kapil Sibal Questions Government’s Stand
Kapil Sibal questioned the Centre’s insistence on keeping Wangchuk in a government hospital without a ‘detention’ order.
“My contention is: without any detention order, I want a person to remain in a government hospital? I’m entitled to a doctor and hospital of my choice. If the government is so concerned, please associate yourself (with the treating team of Wangchuk’s choice)…so this concern will be taken care of that government doctors will be there…what is the impediment there? What is the government’s problem with that (of a hospital my choice)?”
Sonam Wangchuk Health Update: Government Says Wangchuk Must Cooperate With Doctors
ASG Sharma said: “They have absolutely no reason for any sort or manner of doubt in remotest possible corner of their brain… he has to cooperate with the attending doctors and also what the (division bench in its July 15 order) has categorically observed.”
Opposing Angmo’s prayer to allow legal access to Wangchuk, ASG Sharma said,
“This is a hospital, not a courtroom; what kind of prayer is this? It befuddles me.”
Hospital Refused to Give Us Timely Sample, That Broke Our Trust: Angmo
Complaining of the constant police presence in the hospital, Gitanjali J Angmo said,
“They (the police) are constantly eavesdropping.”
“It is not a joke to put someone on IV when he doesn’t need it. Why is there a discrepancy in potassium level? (Between private testing lab results versus Safdarjung Hospital’s result)”
“They refused to give us timely samples, and that broke our trust, and that’s why we want to go elsewhere,” said Angmo.
“We are going to shift him with discharge against medical advice,” Angmo said while interrupting Justice Pushkarna as she commenced dictating her order.
Sonam Wangchuk Health Update: Sonam Wangchuk’s Wife Sets Two Conditions Before Treatment
Sonam Wangchuk’s wife, Dr Gitanjali J. Angmo, has raised two key demands regarding his medical treatment after he was shifted to Safdarjung Hospital following his prolonged hunger strike. She has asked that no treatment, medicines, food, fluids, or intravenous intervention be given without the consent of the family and the doctors who had been monitoring him during his fast.
She also demanded that Wangchuk be allowed to receive treatment at a medical facility of his family’s choice, citing concerns over transparency and trust in the current arrangements.
Angmo said, “Nothing should be administered to him orally or intravenously without consent from me, his family and his doctors who have been monitoring his health for the past 20 days.”
She further stated, “I forbid them from administering anything without my consent. No treatment should start without my consent. I hold everybody accountable if anything happens.”
The Delhi High Court later observed that Wangchuk’s treatment decisions would be taken by the attending medical team according to established medical protocols.
Sonam Wangchuk Health Update: ‘Feels Like Illegal Detention,’ Says Wife
Sonam Wangchuk’s wife Gitanjali J Angmo said it felt like he was kept under “illegal detention” at Safdarjung Hospital after being forcibly removed from Jantar Mantar, and that the family has been denied the fundamental right to choose where he should receive treatment.
Speaking outside Safdarjung Hospital, where Wangchuk has been admitted, Angmo said the family wanted to shift him to Medanta or any other private hospital of its choice.
She alleged that there was a “trust deficit” in the manner the government was handling Wangchuk’s treatment.
Sonam Wangchuk Health Update: Delhi High Court; Medical Team to Decide Wangchuk’s Treatment
Justice Pushkarna added that Sonam Wangchuk “will cooperate.”
“It is to be noted that the ultimate decision concerning the medical condition of Wangchuk would be monitored by the medical team, which shall decide as per the medical protocol. The court also records that the medical reports shall be shared with his family members,” Justice Pushkarna added.
The plea was filed seeking permission to shift Wangchuk from Safdarjung Hospital to a private health facility.
Sonam Wangchuk Health Update
Sonam Wangchuk was stable on Saturday but needed round-the-clock medical care and close monitoring due to the physiological stress and systemic effects of his prolonged hunger strike, Safdarjung Hospital authorities said.
A health bulletin issued by VMMC and Safdarjung Hospital said Wangchuk’s vital parameters were stable and his blood parameters had shown marginal improvement.
A multidisciplinary team of experts from Safdarjung Hospital and Delhi AIIMS is supervising his treatment, it said.
“The treating teams of doctors from VMMC and Safdarjung Hospital and AIIMS, New Delhi, are of the considered opinion that sustained medical intervention and round-the-clock clinical monitoring remain essential to promptly detect and manage any potential complications.”
