Dubai Hospital Waives Off COVID+ Telangana Patient’s ₹1.5 Cr Bill On Humanitarian Grounds

During these testing times, when people are facing several financial & social hardships, a hospital in Dubai has decided to waive off a bill of 7,62,555 Dirhams (Rs 1.52 crore approx) of a Covid-19 patient on humanitarian grounds, reports HT.

Rajesh Lingaiah Odnala, who has been working in Dubai as a construction worker for the last two years, was admitted to ‘Dubai Hospital’ after he fell ill. Eventually, the forty-two-year-old, who hails from Venugumatla village in Telangana, tested positive for coronavirus.

After 80-days of treatment, the worker fully recovered but he didn’t have the resources to clear his hospital dues. On learning about his situation, Gundelli Narasimha, president of Gulf Workers Protection Society in Dubai, decided to help him. He approached Sumanth Reddy, an Indian Consulate volunteer in Dubai, about the matter.

Reddy along with social worker Ashok Kotecha of BAPS Swaminarayan Trust, requested Harjeet Singh, Consul (Labour) of Indian Consulate in Dubai for his help in the situation. Together they approached the management of the hospital requesting them to waive off the patient’s bill on ‘humanitarian grounds’, reports the Indian Express. The hospital responded positively, after which the patient was discharged immediately.

Free flight tickets were arranged for Rajesh and his escort Dyavara Kankaiah by Ashoka. He also gave him Rs 10,000 for other expenses. Telangana NRI officer E Chittibabu along with Rajesh’s family received him at the Hyderabad airport.

Rajesh is now under a 14-day home quarantine back in his native village. Such incidences give you hope in such time of crisis. Hats off to everyone who helped the worker reach home safely.

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