Paris-This is your captain Karim bendali speaking, we have a medical emergency. If there is a doctor on board, please contact the Cabin crew immediately. This was flight from PEK to CDG AF0125.
I was sleeping and I awake up after hearing the announcement and rushed to the cabin. A Chinese girl was shivering and lying and crew members were asking her questions.
I introduced myself to the Chief of staff Madam Demon Virginie, she asked me for my ID and started to tell me about the condition of patient.
I started talking to patient as I could speak Chinese. The girl had severe vomiting and stress and hypothermia. She was intact, conscious.
I checked the ABCDE, The Airway, breathing, circulation, disability, exposure (ABCDE), basic approach for medical emergency.
Placed an Oxygen mask to help her breath, I started to maintain her temperature and covered her with blankets and took her temp, blood pressure and Pulse regularly.
As according to aviation rules I was not authorized to prescribe medicine on board, so I had to treat her without medicine and wait to arrive at CDG airport. She and I were upgraded to the business class cabin and I continued to maintain her temperature. I used hot bottle of water wrapped in blanket to warm her body. Her palms and head were continuously rubbed to increase temperature. I was talking to her every 10 min to know about her condition.
She was feeling dizzy and low energy and faint. Continuous maintenance of her body temperature let her feel well in couple of hours and just after one more hour her dizziness had gone and she was just feeling weak. Meanwhile the arrangements were done on ground for emergency landing in case of some complications & on ground ambulance and medical staff were in contact during the whole flight.
Within 3 hours her situation was out of danger. She was feeling better and last 2 hours she was in good state. After the plane landed the medical staff boarded the plan and examined her and she was alright by then. The police officer also inquired about her condition and she was taken to the 2F Terminal Medical center, where I also arrived later and she was discharged with her consent that she is well. The crew staff started clapping as the Chief of Crew made announcement, merci beacoup Dr. Muhammad, Thank you very much Dr. Muhammad.
Being the only doctor in flight I felt proud of my profession saving a person life. The Chief of staff asked me to accompany her to her cabin and she asked for my information,”D’où est ce que vous venez monsieur ?” Where are you from Mister? I replied proudly “ je suis Pakistanais” I am from Pakistan. She said doctor we have a gift for you in order to appreciate your in flight service, and awarded me Air France 10,000 mile mileage with Bundle of thanks. Today it was best day of my life as I saved a person life, I used to see this in movies but it happened in real. I realized that Doctor is a noble profession & it is beyond the borders of race, color, religion.
Since my childhood I have learned in Islam, “if anyone saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of all mankind.” – Quran 5:32”. I was feeling immense pleasure. It is the best profession on the planet earth.