Srinagar: In a rare and dramatic medical feat, doctors at 92 Base Hospital, BB Cantt, under the aegis of the Chinar Corps, saved the life of a critically ill mother and her extremely premature baby girl, born at just 26 weeks and 5 days of gestation.
The mother, a 30-year-old woman suffering from immune thrombocytopenia—a rare blood disorder causing dangerously low platelet levels—faced a life-threatening complication known as placental abruption. The condition led to severe internal bleeding, with the mother losing nearly 1.5 litres of blood into her abdomen. She went into hypovolemic shock and was rushed into an emergency caesarean section at the Army-run facility.
The baby girl, born weighing only 750 grams, was immediately transferred to the hospital’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). In critical condition and struggling to breathe, she required immediate respiratory support and intensive neonatal care. Over the next 65 days, the medical team waged a continuous battle to keep the infant alive.
Described by hospital staff as a “tussle of uncertainty and relentless vigil,” the baby’s condition remained precarious. She frequently stopped breathing and had to be resuscitated multiple times. Doctors also discovered a hole in her heart, a common complication in extremely premature infants, which was managed through multiple courses of medication.
Despite the immense odds stacked against her, the infant gradually stabilized. After over two months of round-the-clock care and unwavering dedication from the NICU team, the baby reached a discharge weight of 1.89 kg and was finally strong enough to go home.
Affectionately nicknamed Veerangana—meaning ‘warrior woman’—by the hospital staff, her survival story has become a symbol of resilience, compassion, and medical excellence.
“This is not just a story of survival,” said a senior doctor from the hospital. “It’s a story of science, struggle, and a soul too strong to give up. It’s the story of a Chinar warrior by birth.”
