KATHMANDU: Rebika Khatri, who was shot during the royalist movement on March 28 that left two people dead, is still receiving treatment at Civil Hospital in Kathmandu.
Initially treated at Civil Hospital, Rebika was transferred to Teaching Hospital during her recovery. After multiple surgeries, she has regained some mobility and can now walk with the assistance of auxiliary nerves, as the main artery in her leg was blocked. Hospital officials say she will be discharged only after a minor follow-up surgery.
Following the incident, many innocent people like Rebika were injured by gunfire. The government pledged to cover the medical expenses for all those affected.
Most patients have since recovered and returned home, but Rebika and her family continue to face hardship. The family, from Udayapur, frequently travel to Kathmandu for her ongoing treatment.
When Rebika regained consciousness after two days, she was overwhelmed seeing herself lying on a large hospital bed, surrounded by doctors, nurses, and medical equipment.
“I couldn’t understand where I was or what had happened,” she recalled. “When I finally asked a nurse, I learned I was at Civil Hospital.”
Initially, Rebika needed help with all daily activities but has since improved enough to walk and use the restroom independently.
Rebika has spent two months in the hospital and has undergone seven surgeries on her leg, which was badly injured by bullets. Despite the slow recovery, she remains hopeful.
“Along with treatment, courage is important,” she said. “From the moment I regained consciousness, I never lost hope. I kept telling myself I would recover, and I am still working hard in therapy to walk on my own.”
She credits her progress to the excellent care from doctors and nurses, and the unwavering support from family and friends.
Remarkably, Rebika, a third-year BBS student at Koteshwor Multiple Campus, managed to take her annual exams from her hospital bed with help from the campus administration. Although she couldn’t attend classes, she said the exams went well and she is optimistic about the results.
Doctors have cautioned that her leg will not fully recover because the main artery is permanently blocked; the leg now relies on auxiliary arteries for blood flow.
Rebika hopes that if the incident had never occurred, the government would have supported not only her treatment but also her future well-being, making life easier.
Rebika is the youngest of three siblings. She was working part-time in Kathmandu to support herself while studying and was shot while returning from work.
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