Healing touch amid hazards

Padma Deskit, Ladakh's first female surgeon, saves lives fighting harsh climate, tough terrain and poor health care facilities

- Tariq Bhat

Padma Deskit, Ladakh's first female surgeon, wanted to be a fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, but her hopes were dashed after her father was diagnosed with cancer. As the eldest child, Deskit prioritised family and returned to Ladakh.

Deskit completed her MBBS from Lady Hardinge Medical College in Delhi and her postgraduation in surgery from Jammu Medical College. After giving up hopes about the coveted fellowship, she served as general surgeon in the Jammu and Kashmir health department, stationed at a hospital near Siachen in Nubra. While serving there, she found out about the stark shortage in specialists and equipment in Ladakh, leading to frequent patient referrals to hospitals elsewhere.

In 2016, a young soldier from the Ladakh Scouts regiment of the Army, arrived at the hospital with subdural haematoma, a severe head injury. Initial treatment did not help and his condition worsened, and an emergency surgery was the only option. Drawing from her neurosurgical experience in Jammu, Deskit conducted a groundbreaking surgery under challenging conditions, marking a turning point in her career and the medical history of Ladakh. Since then, she has dedicated herself to saving lives in Ladakh, where harsh climate, tough terrain and poor healthcare facilities often lead to tragic outcomes for patients.

Recalling the case of the young soldier, Deskit said he was just 20, and surgery was his only hope. Initially, she wrestled with the decision to operate as she felt nervous about the outcome. Then she reached out to a neurosurgeon in Delhi, who told her that the soldier's fate was in her hands. "Ultimately, I proceeded with the operation as the final recourse," she said.