Condition of US-Bangla pilot Abid’s wife Afsana worsens

The medical condition of Afsana Khanam, the widow of US-Bangla pilot Abid Sultan, went from bad to worse.

“We decided to continue providing treatment as long as she is able to receive ventilation support.”

A former Bangladesh Air Force officer, Abid was the pilot of the US-Bangla plane that crashed in Kathmandu on Mar 12. He was killed along with 48 others in the worst aviation disaster in Bangladesh’s history.

There were 71 people, including the crew members, from four nationalities on the aircraft.

On Sunday, Afsana was hospitalised with a stroke after the news of her husband’s death spread.

She underwent a surgery and was later put on life support as her condition deteriorated to a stage internally known as precoma.

An observation period of 72 hours for Afsana ended on Wednesday night.

Dr Badrul said her condition declined on Thursday morning. “Her blood pressure is lowering gradually, while kidney output is showing a slump; however, it is still not the condition where we can withdraw ventilation or other supports. Our medical team will look into it tomorrow,” he said.

A 10-member medical team led by the hospital director Professor Quazi Deen Mohammad decided to continue Afsana’s treatment, said Dr Badrul.

Replying to a query on Afsana being ‘clinically dead’, Dr Deen Mohammad said: “Her condition does not confirm that and we are trying our best. But her condition is gradually deteriorating.”