Expats donate ambulances for poor patients in Odisha villages
dubai — About six months ago, a touching story from one of the poorest Indian villages in Odisha shocked the world as a poor man travelled about 10 kilometres carrying the body of his 42-year-old wife, with his grieving daughter walking beside him.
It was on August 25 last year. Dana Majhi, who lived in a tribal area, carried his wife Amang Deis’ body on his shoulder because he did not have money to pay for an ambulance. The hospital had allegedly denied him permission to have a mortuary van or an ambulance.
Recently, another story of a father walking kilometres carrying his young daughter’s body came from the same area of Odisha.
However, help was pouring in for the poor man from expatriates in the UAE and allover the world. Recently,
We have been doing these humanitarian activities for the last 40 years in the UAE and India.” PK Anwar Naha, KMCC president
a Dubai-based organisation had donated two ambulances for the poor patients and their families in and around Bhubaneswar.
Office-bearers of Dubai’s Kerala Muslim Cultural Centre (KMCC), a socio-cultural charitable organisation, donated the ambulances in the name of E. Ahmed, former external affairs minister and Indian Union Muslim League leader, to two charitable organisations in Odisha. E. Ahmed died recently after collapsing inside the Indian parliament.
In a public programme organised at the Bhubaneswar Press Club, keys of the ambulances were donated to Mahavir Samskriti Anusthan and Balasore-based Muslim Welfare Society in the presence of parliament member Tathagata Satpathy, KMCC president PK Anwar Naha and others.
In a statement issued by the Dubai KMCC, Satpathy was quoted as saying: “These (ambulances) will be used for public service in Bhawanipatna and Balasore.” Another parliament member and Abu Dhabi-based Indian businessman P.V. Abdul Wahab also was part of the humanitarian gesture.
“Through these donations, we have tried to commemorate our leader and former union minister E. Ahmed. We have been doing these humanitarian activities for the last 40 years in the UAE and India,” said Naha.
While the charitable organisations will manage the ambulances, the operational cost will be from Dubai KMCC.
sathish@khaleejtimes.com