Chennai, Nov 19 (IANS): Jharkhand Education Minister Jagarnath Mahto who underwent a bilateral lung transplantation is stable and is recovering well, MGM Healthcare, a private hospital, here said.

A statement issued by MGM Healthcare said the lung transplant of Mahto was done on November 10.

"Mahto's transplant, which took around 11 hours, was carried out on Tuesday (November 10) and was successful. His condition is stable and he is recovering well," Apar Jindal, Clinical Director & Consultant, Lung Transplant, Interventional Pulmonology & Chest Medicine was quoted in the statement.

"We were able to take the patient off ECMO immediately post transplant, he has regained consciousness, is under constant monitoring, all vital parameters have shown to be stable and is currently being slowly weaned off the ventilator support. He is undergoing physiotherapy and pulmonary rehabilitation," he added.

Mahto tested positive for Covid-19 in September in Jharkhand and resulted in irreparable lung damage, thus making him a candidate for a lung transplant.

He was then put on veno-venous ECMO on October 18 and was soon airlifted to MGM Healthcare and put on ECMO for 22 days while the medical experts studied his case thoroughly.