Agartala, 28th October 2026 : A team of doctors at Agartala Government Medical College and Govind Ballabh Pant Hospital (AGMC & GBPH) has achieved a major success in neonatal care by saving the life of a newborn girl through emergency surgery for a rare congenital abnormality.
The infant was suffering from tracheo-oesophageal fistula (TEF), a birth defect characterised by an abnormal connection between the windpipe and the food pipe. The life-saving operation was performed on October 7, 2026, when the baby was only two days old.
The case was discussed at a joint press conference attended by GBP Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr Bidhan Goswami, AGMC Principal Dr Tapan Majumder, senior paediatrician Dr Sanjib Debbarma and Deputy Medical Superintendent Dr Kanak Chowdhury.
Hospital officials said the baby, born to a couple from Gabtali in South Tripura’s P.R. Bari police station area, was referred from a private clinic to AGMC and GBPH around midnight on October 5 after her condition deteriorated.
The newborn had developed serious complications shortly after birth, including difficulty swallowing, excessive frothing from the mouth and increasing respiratory distress. Recognising the severity of her condition, doctors admitted her to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) under the Paediatrics Department for immediate treatment.
Under the guidance of Dr Sribas Das, Associate Professor and Unit In-charge of the department, the medical team took urgent steps to stabilise the infant. Initial clinical assessments and a chest X-ray indicated a possible case of tracheo-oesophageal fistula, requiring immediate surgical management.
The complex procedure was carried out by a surgical team led by Dr Kanak Narayan Bhattacharya, Consultant in Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery at AGMC and GBPH. The operation involved a right-sided thoracotomy and repair of the fistula. Cardiac anaesthesiologists Dr Rimjhim Chakma and Dr Manimoy Debbarma provided anaesthesia support during the surgery.
Following the operation, the baby was kept under intensive monitoring in the NICU. With gradual improvement in her health, doctors initially resumed feeding through a tube. After seven days, the tube was removed, and the newborn was able to breastfeed normally.
After spending 12 days under intensive medical supervision, the infant was transferred to the neonatal ward. According to hospital officials, she has recovered well and is currently stable, breastfeeding normally and staying with her mother. She is expected to be discharged soon.
The successful treatment demonstrates the hospital’s capacity to manage complicated surgical conditions in newborns and highlights the role of coordinated medical care in critical situations. Doctors emphasised that timely diagnosis and prompt surgical intervention are crucial in managing such life-threatening congenital abnormalities.
The entire treatment was provided free of charge under the Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram (JSSK), a government scheme designed to provide free healthcare to pregnant women and sick newborns. The initiative ensured that the family faced no out-of-pocket expenses throughout the baby’s treatment.
