KATHMANDU: Two months after the violent protests in Tinkune that claimed two lives, several of the injured are still undergoing medical treatment.
Among them is Rebika Khatri from Udayapur, who had no involvement in the protests. She remains hospitalized after sustaining a bullet wound to her thigh. Rebika has already undergone seven minor surgeries.
Her father, Tulsiram Khatri, told Khabarhub that her condition has shown signs of improvement over the past four days.
“We’ve been informed that she will undergo plastic surgery within the next two weeks,” he said. “She has now been moved out of the ICU and is being treated in a dressing cabin.”
Doctors managing her care have stopped the bleeding by blocking a main vein in her leg. Her mobility now depends on the smaller surrounding veins, and she is slowly being given physical therapy with the help of an assistant. However, she is not yet able to stand unassisted.
“During the operation, doctors had indicated that her leg might need to be amputated to save her life,” her father recalled. “But now, with the support of the medical team and everyone’s prayers, there is hope that her leg can be saved.”
Civil Hospital yet to reimburse expenses
Initially, the government had assured that it would cover all of Rebika’s medical expenses at Civil Hospital. The hospital had stated it would pay for all bills, including treatment, food, and nursing care.
However, according to Tulsiram, who had paid these expenses himself, the promised reimbursement has not yet been received. “The Ministry of Health has been pressing for it, but I hear that the delay is on the hospital’s end,” he said.
Rebika has since been referred to the Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital (TUTH) with the consent of Civil Hospital. While she receives available services at the new facility, her family is paying for any additional medication out-of-pocket.
“In her case, the hospital refused to reimburse the NPR 20,000–22,000 we spent on medicines during the surgery,” Tulsiram said. “They even refused to discharge the patient until we paid for two nights in a private cabin.”
He said they eventually called the police for assistance, and after settling the cabin fee, the police helped facilitate Rebecca’s discharge and transfer to the Teaching Hospital.
“Police officers, including DSPs and SPs, have been visiting periodically to check on her condition,” he added. “They respond promptly when we reach out during emergencies.”
Tulsiram said the treatment is now progressing well. On Tuesday, a surgeon informed him, “We can’t perform the surgery just yet. We need more tissue to graft, but there’s no healthy area left from which we can take tissue.”
Rebika’s prolonged hospitalization has caused significant weight loss. “She’s lost about 22–23 kilograms,” Tulsiram said. “We’ve been told to wait about two more weeks, and we’re hopeful for continued improvement.”
Ongoing health issues among discharged patients
Others injured in the Tinkune protest and later discharged are still grappling with health complications.
Of the 20 people who were shot, 13 underwent complex surgeries. Rajkumar Karki, who was shot in both hands, has already been discharged from KMC Hospital. Despite his release, he continues to suffer from swelling and pain.
“The bullet fragments were small, but they had penetrated deeply into both my hands and had to be surgically removed,” said Karki. “I’ve had three follow-ups since then. One hand is healing well, but the other still swells and hurts with even slight movement.”
While initial treatment for gunshot wounds was covered, Karki says he now has to bear the costs of follow-up care himself.
“Gunshot wounds are similar to burn injuries and take time to heal,” explained Dr. Rabindra Regmi, an orthopedic and orthoplasty surgeon at the Trauma Center. “In some cases, shrapnel remains embedded and can’t be removed, leading to long-term pain.”
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