Angels on Earth

We are living in an era where kinship, neighborhood, community have become the things of the past. Everyone irrespective of his age, status, or post is alone when it comes to social, communal and especially financial support. It cannot be attributed to one factor and cannot be blamed on any one cause. It is a norm and we as a society has accepted it as normal way of life.

Our views and observations are two dimensional. Our relationships are limited on interests. “Either you are with us or against us”. We judge the people based on our own interest. Good people are those who serve our needs and reject those who are perceived to be outside the ambit of our influence.

Life sometimes brings us to a situation where all our relations resources and influences seem to be falling apart and we are faced with the fact that something out of routine or someone out of our circle can save us and at this stage we usually get the help from the most unusual quarters which were never in our list of possibilities.

Last month I also encountered the situation where one of my friends who otherwise was healthy and happy and serving on a reasonably important post got a heart attack. His family is in Pakistan due to the education of his children and like most of us was living happily in the safe environment of UAE alone. On the consultation with his doctor he was advised of the urgent need of a heart surgery which had to be performed within the span of a week or ten days. His passport unfortunately was stuck in the renewal process and was not easily available to arrange for the visit visa for his family before scheduled procedure and to add insult to injury he had the shortage of funds as well due to be in the middle of the month and payday being a couple of weeks away. Though 80% of his medical charges were covered by the insurance but for the remaining 20% he required a minimum of AED 20,000/= to be deposited before he was to be booked for the surgery. He like every desperate person asked the Hospital to accept his post-dated check for the amount but according to the hospital rules they could only accept the post-dated check when accompanied with the payee’s passport with valid UAE visa which was not available and not expected to be available before scheduled surgery date. All this happened when the days of surgery was only 3-4 days away. In desperation he contacted me and I being retired and out of any authoritative status was not in a position to do anything to change the situation in his favor nor has spare amount of AED 20,000/= to deposit on his behalf.

He was desperate and I was desperate and in our desperation we started contacting each and every one who we thought might be of any help in a situation like this, but as it usually happens the normal reply was that nothing much can be done on such a short notice. I also approached a couple of charitable outlets to come to our rescue but here also we were met with different excuses and procedural hindrances.

Now there were only one and half days left in the scheduled surgery with no money and no hope of any solution with the possibility of the procedure to be postponed for another indefinite date putting the life of the patient in severe danger of recurrence of the attack at any time possibly with dire consequences.

While in a compete hopelessness I was left with no alternate except to turn to ALLAH (SWT) to show us some way out of this impossible impasse and then all of a sudden a face surfaced on my memory of a lady doctor whom I had very briefly met in couple of meetings in Pakistan Association Dubai who happened to be working in the same hospital but was in different department. I am a bit aware of the procedures of the hospitals and other organizations where professional staff does not have much say in the Administrative and Financial affairs of the organization, but with no other alternative and with the worst consequence of being refused I asked for her number from one of my colleague and associate of mine working in the team of monthly electronic News Paper “PEHCHAAN” to give me her number who immediately passed it to me.

I called her and with nervous voice and sweating palms I introduced myself to which she very kindly recognized and acknowledged and very graciously promised to do anything in her power but with the same warning that she hardly gets involved in Administration and since the time is only couple of hours left she will do her best but cannot assure of very encouraging result. I informed my friend about the situation and gave him her number to contact her first thing in the next morning, which was the day he was supposed to have been admitted at 12.00 O’clock for the surgery.

At 9.30 AM my friend called me and informed that he is calling the good lady but her phone is closed. I consoled him that may be she is busy with some patient. Another one and a half hour were very tense as it was only less than two hours left for him to be accepted by the hospital for the operation. Finally at 11.30 AM my friend called and with trembling voice informed me that the “GOOD DOCTOR” somehow managed to convince the Administration of the hospital to accept his check without the Passport and he is finally going to be admitted for preparation of the surgery next day. WHAT A RELIEF.

I do not know any other way to thank this ANGEL ON EARTH, except to introduce her to my readers. She is none other than a kind efficient enthusiastic ready to help DR. Aamerah Shah – member of Medical Team of Pakistan Association Dubai.

Thank you Dr. Aamerah. May Allah shower HIS blessings and accepts your good deeds.



Rais Khan is a Chartered Accountant and an author. He has worked in corporate sector for 40 years in a variety of corporations ranging from IBM to Etisalat in UAE. He has worked and lived in Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, USA, Africa and the UAE. Currently he is a freelance business consultant and part-time writer. He is the Editor of Pehchaan and can be contacted at [email protected]

    Pakistan Association Dubai. , Street 11b, Oud Metha Road,
    Bur Dubai ,
    United Arab Emirates
    04 2305000
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