Yahya Hallare
Daijiworld Media Network - Bhatkal (SP)
Bhatkal, Feb 10: Sources in the family of Abubaker Makade, who hails from near the town, and who has been in coma in a hospital at Saudi Arabia since the last about nine months, amassing unpaid hospital bills amounting to over a crore of rupees, was flown to Bengaluru on Friday February 10, thanks to the efforts put in by people hailing from this place, and the empathy they have shown towards a man from their community.
Abubaker Makade, resident of Shirur here and son-in-law of Ibbu Ali, who is vice-president of Hebale gram panchayat here, was employed in Saudi Arabia. After an accident which happened over nine months back involving him, Abubaker fell into comatose state. He was admitted into the government hospital there. His relatives felt that the treatment in government hospital is free, and hence agreed for treatment. Even after nine months of treatment there, there has been no appreciable change in Abubaker's health condition. When his relatives tried to get him discharged and bring him back to India, they found to their dismay that hospital bills had touched mind-boggling figure of over a crore of rupees. Realizing that this amount was beyond their reach, the family had lost hopes of bringing Abubaker back to India.
When the plight of Abubaker was highlighted in the local media, the Navayat community people from Bhatkal and Murudeshwar, currently working in Saudi Arabia, began an effort to secure the ill-fated man's release. Their efforts paid rich dividends as surprisngly, the officials of the hospital waived the entire bill of over a crore of rupees. The officials also told Abubaker's relatives to provide him suitable treatment elsewhere. Accordingly, non-resident Indians of Bhatkal origin, Dr Zaheer Kola and Dr Wasim Mani, arranged for Abubaker's treatment in Manipal Hospital, Bengaluru. The close ones of Abubaker Makade have finally heaved a sigh of relief.
In the meanwhile, Dr Zaheer and Dr Wasim organized a meeting at Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in which they pleaded to the people of Bhatkal origin to extend generous help for Abubaker's treatment. This plea reportedly received generous response. As the family members of Abubaker here have been told that the entire treatment expenses of the man at Bengaluru would be met by donors, they now are finding a ray of hope.
President of Murudeshwar Muslim Jamaat Riyadh, Ashfaq Koteshwar, addressing a meeting at Riyadh, praised both the doctors for their altruism and called upon people to show the same unity and solidarity in tackling such problems when encountered in future. He called upon people from all communities hailing from Bhatkal and nearby places currently in Saudi Arabia to consider all problems their people may face seriously, and extend whatever help is possible.
Speaking to media representatives over phone, Dr Wasim Mani said that Abubakker, who would be shifted to Bengaluru on Friday, will be treated by specialists. He said that he and other team members will put in full efforts till Abubaker returns to normalcy, adding that all the Jamaat leaders from Bhatkal have been requested to extend financial help, and it will be ensured that there will not be any let up in his treatment.