Assam’s oldest patient wins battle against COVID-19; her steely resolve is monumental, says Himanta

GUWAHATI | Sept 17, 2020:

Her age may have posed a challenge but 100-year-old Mai Handique's battle against COVID-19 was won by her positivity, doctors said on Thursday.

Handique, Assam's oldest COVID-19 patient, was discharged from the Mahendra Mohan Chowdhury Hospital (MMCH) in Guwahati on Wednesday, they said.

A resident of the Mothers' Old Age Home, she was admitted to the hospital ten days ago after testing COVID-19 positive.

The doctors and nurses who were treating her held a small celebration before she was discharged. Handique, who was beaming with excitement, joined the party singing several Assamese songs in her full-throated voice.

Handique called Aita (grandma) by all at the hospital, told reporters that she enjoyed her stay and the food.

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"We were given fish or meat on most of the days while egg and banana were given daily. We were also given 'ruti- bhaji' (chappatis and vegetables) which I enjoyed the most," she said.

She also thanked all those who treated her, saying, "The girls (the nurses) and the doctors' took very good care."

Handique also had a special word of praise for Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma — "He is doing very hard work for all of us and I bless him to continue to help people who are suffering from this disease."

Sarma, too, wished her on the recovery.

"Steely resolve of 100-year old Mai Handique is monumental. With brilliant support of doctors at MMCH, she defeated coronavirus, giving us a lesson in having the right will power," he said.

A doctor treating Handique said, "Initially, we were worried due to her age and she also has hypertension, but she was always cheerful and in a positive frame of mind."

Twelve residents of the Mothers' Old Age Home have been diagnosed with COVID-19 and five of them have been discharged so far.