While the baby, whose fever was reduced by Prof. Dr. Tarhan's intervention, completed his trip in good health, Turkish Airlines officials thanked Prof. Dr. Tarhan and suggested that he be included in the "smiling doctor" program.
While Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, Rector of Üsküdar University, was on his way to the USA to attend the American Psychiatric Association (APA) congress last May, a baby suddenly became ill on a Turkish Airlines flight from Istanbul to New York. While a Romanian family's baby, who was not yet 1 year old, was fainting due to high fever, upon the announcement of the cabin crew, Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan got up from his seat and intervened with the baby with the pediatric medicines in the emergency response kit on the plane.
"He could have had an epileptic seizure"
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan stated that when he heard the announcement, he got up from his seat and went to the baby, "I went to the baby saying that I was a physician, the baby had a fever above 39 degrees, the mother could not silence her child. I gave the appropriate pediatric medicines in the plane's emergency response kit according to the height-weight ratio. I worked as a general practitioner for 4 years without being a psychiatrist. Based on my experience there, we intervened and lowered the fever of the child, if we had not intervened, the child could have had an epileptic seizure due to high fever."
Prof. Dr. Tarhan, who went to the child at regular intervals throughout the flight and checked the child's health status, helped the child complete the trip in good health.
"A professional obligation"
Prof. Dr. Tarhan stated that they were happy when the baby's fever dropped and said, "I experienced professional satisfaction when I saw the child sleeping peacefully and the mother's face smiling. This cannot be measured in money. There is no material reward, but the spiritual pleasure is very great. After the intervention, I learned that the person sitting next to me was a pediatric surgeon, but he did not get up and help me."
Thank you letter from THY
On the other hand, Turkish Airlines sent a letter of thanks to Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan for his intervention on the plane and suggested that he be included in the "Smiling doctor" program. Physicians participating in this program of Turkish Airlines help other passengers with health problems during their flights and are rewarded with gift miles as a thank you.