The Polish Ministry of National Defense is deploying a specialized military aircraft to bring a 24-year-old Polish student home from Beijing after she fell into a coma following a severe health crisis.
A Sudden Health Crisis Abroad
Klaudia Uciechowska, a 24-year-old from Wałbrzych studying in China, faced a sudden medical emergency on April 15. After speaking with her mother, her condition deteriorated rapidly within hours, leading to her hospitalization in Beijing.
The patient initially exhibited confusion, hallucinations, and anxiety, resulting in her admission to a psychiatric ward. Her condition worsened significantly as she developed breathing difficulties and coughs, eventually leading to acute respiratory failure and a transfer to an intensive care unit.
Severe Medical Complications
Doctors discovered that the patient had been suffering from an ovarian teratoma. Although the tumor was surgically removed, it caused severe systemic damage, including peritonitis, pneumonia, encephalitis, duodenal perforation, and a liver abscess.
Her mother, Joanna, noted that her daughter remains in a coma and described the daily struggle for survival as terrifying. The family has been soliciting donations on Siepomaga.pl to cover mounting medical expenses, as her insurance coverage was exhausted and daily hospital costs reached 5,000 PLN excluding additional therapy fees.
Government Intervention and Repatriation
The family’s attempt to bring Klaudia back to Poland faced significant logistical hurdles and the prohibitive cost of private medical transport, estimated at 400,000 PLN. In response, the Ministry of National Defense stepped in to facilitate her return.
Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz confirmed that a military medical team will depart on a special flight to China to retrieve the patient. He emphasized that the operation is a duty, expressing gratitude to those who secured the necessary diplomatic permits and coordinated with Chinese medical staff to ensure a safe transport to a Polish hospital.
