Delhi Gang-Rape Victim Shifted To Singapore Hospital, Remains 'Extremely Critical'

The Delhi gang-rape victim at the center of national protests against the treatment of women was flown to Singapore Wednesday night for specialized treatment. Her condition is reported to be “highly critical.”

"The patient arrived at Mount Elizabeth Hospital's intensive care unit this morning in an extremely critical condition," a hospital spokesperson told a news agency.

The 23-year-old paramedical student was brutally raped by six men in a moving bus in New Delhi on Dec. 16. She sustained grave internal and external injuries. Doctors conducted three major surgeries on her in the past week and removed her small intestine completely as it was ruptured beyond repair due to the brutal torture she underwent.

Her condition deteriorated Wednesday as she showed strong symptoms of sepsis -- a medical condition where the body produces toxins in response to a bacterial infection that attacks the body’s own tissues and organs. She was reported to be suffering from bradycardia, too.

Based on the advice of a team of doctors, the Indian government made arrangements to airlift the girl to Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore, which has state of the art facilities for trauma care and multi-organ transplants.

The government reiterated Thursday that saving the girl’s life was paramount and that every effort would be made to provide the best treatment for her.

"…Therefore, when we were advised by a team of doctors that she may be shifted abroad for treatment, the government decided to meet all the costs thereof. Considering the travel time, the doctors have suggested Mt. Elizabeth Hospital, Singapore,” said Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde in a statement.

However, the minister said her health was fluctuating and that there was cause for worry.

"We are all aware of the critical condition of the survivor. Since the day of the incident, it has been our endeavor to provide her the best of medical care. Despite the best efforts of our Doctors, the survivor continues to be critical and her fluctuating health remains a big cause of concern to all of us," he said, according to an ANI report.

The Indian High Commission in Singapore is coordinating with the hospital authorities and her parents and doctors, who accompanied her from India.

"She is being examined and the hospital is working with the Indian High Commission. We request that the privacy of the patient and family be respected," a Mount Elizabeth Hospital spokesman was quoted as saying by the Straits Times.

The treatment is expected to last several weeks.

The gang-rape has triggered a nationwide public outrage over the increasing number of crimes against women in the country. The protests continued in Delhi even as more cases of rape against women were reported in the city and other parts of the country Thursday.