Salesman who suffered a stroke at DXB now home

dubai — Indian expat Mahmood Kanhirakkandiyil was waiting for his flight home at Dubai International Airport in September — when he suffered a stroke. Two and a half months later, he was finally able to board a plane to Kerala but in a paralysed state, lying in a stretcher.

Mahmood, a salesman at a Dubai supermarket, had worked hard amid the pandemic so he could be with his wife and two daughters for his annual vacation, said his brother-in-law Mohammed Ashraf. He was supposed to go home to help his daughter with her college admission.

“We were shocked to find out that he had collapsed at the airport

while waiting to board his flight,” said Ashraf, who works at a supermarket in Sharjah.

It was only a day after he suffered a stroke that Mahmood’s colleagues and family realised that he was not able to get on the plane.

His medical condition

According to medical reports issued by the Dubai Health Authority, he suffered a ‘nontraumatic haemorrhage’ on the right side of his brain. It was found that he had a history of headache, dizziness, and weakness in the left side of his body.

“He was found to have high blood pressure and his CT scan showed right cerebral bleeding,” the report said.

Ashraf said Mahmood did have some blood pressure issues and he had been taking medications for the condition. “He had a mild stroke a few years ago for which he received treatment and was supposed to undergo check-ups every six months. He was supposed to be in Kerala in November this year.”

Currently, Mahmood is in a paralysed state, Ashraf said. “We have consulted with the doctors at the Corporative Hospital in Mahmood’s village and we intend to take him there once we land in Kerala.”

Receiving help

Naseer Vatanapally, a social worker who volunteers for the Consulate-General of India (CGI) in Dubai, said he learnt about Mahmood’s case from the diplomatic mission. The consulate had provided the expat with stretcher tickets.

Neeraj Agarwal, consul for Press, information and culture at the CGI Dubai, said: “We are grateful to the Rashid Hospital in Dubai for supporting us with his treatment and care and also the medical committee that facilitated his departure from Dubai.”

We were shocked to find out that he had collapsed at the airport while waiting to board his flight.” Mohammed Ashraf,

Mahmood’s brother-in-law