India – UAE medical mission for Yemen marks milestone in bilateral ties

Men, women, even children are among the 600 war victims from Yemen recently underwent treatment at Medeor Hospital in India. Both from among the military and civilian populations, the victim survivors had undergone severe bullet and blast injuries from the civil war raging in the Middle Eastern country since 2015. India’s medical excellency and support from the government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) them and their hundreds of war injured fellow citizens to lead a normal active life again.

The UAE government brought several batches of victims from war torn Yemen to India for better treatment. Most recently 21 strong batch of Yemeni war injured arrived in India in June. They are similarly being treated for blast and bomb injuries. They are undergoing treatment at Medeor Hospital here in Delhi. The patients were attended to by an expert team of doctors and staff from various departments such as Orthopedics, Neurosurgery, General surgery, Opthalmic surgery, Plastic surgery.

“The mission was initiated by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAe Armed Fores. we are extremely privileged that the UAE government has kept the trust upon us to send the Yemeni patients to our hospital in India for treatment. We have formed a special team of specialist doctors and nurses to attend the batch of patients. we are providing them with the best of the facilities and are,” said Dr. Shamsheer Vayalil, Chairman and Managing Direcor of VPS Healthcare.

VPS Healthcare is an integrated healthcare delivery service provider in Asia. The healthcare verticals of the company span primary care, diagnostics, day care specialty hospitals and pharmacy chain with a healthcare network spanning many countries. Currently, the company operates its healthcare delivery services in India and UAE with its headquarters in Abu Dhabi.

The patients from Yemen were brought to New Delhi as part of the bilateral relationship between India and the USE. the Indian government has issues a medical attendance visa for these patients. The success of this mission could be attributed to the good relationship maintained by both countries and marks a milestone in bilateral cooperation, which through this mission has been extended to the humanitarian realm.

Dr. Shajir Gaffar, Group Director, BD, VPS Healthcare said “India’s medical excellence is well established in the world. The UAE leadership chose us due to ur excellence in healthcare in terms of quality and affordability. We hope to accomplish this humanitarian mission with a sense  of brotherhood, commitment to serving people in need, providing the best-in-class multi-specialty services, and compassion. The diversity and extent of our network enabled patients to be referred from remotely located Yemen to more centralized and super-specialty hospitals like Medeor.”

The UAE-India Medical Mission began in 2017. Since then over 600 patients, many of whom need multi-disciplinary treatments, have been successfully treated in India. Many were required to undergo orthopedic, plastic, general and neuro-surgery for full recovery.

Detailing the initiative, Rajiv Mishra, COO, Medeor Hospital, New Delhi said: “India has been well known fo rmedical tourism die to its world-class medical and clinical expertise. As part of the UAE government’s compassionate mission to help victims of war, patients, have been sent to our hospital in batches. A large group of UAE government officials, and doctors regularly visit the hospital for follow-up with the patients to ensure their well-being.”

“Yemen is facing the world’s worst humanitarian crisis and people there desperately need quality healthcare to overcome war injuries. The wounded have been flown to India for specialised treatment. VPS Healthcare -Medeon’s compassion and tender touch, the highly qualified team of experts and our expertise in treating international patients helped the patients from Yemen both medically and psychologically,” he added.

The action of the UAE government to extend a helping hand has come as a great relief to those people from Yemen who were deprived of hope and disillusioned by the armed rebellion. The UAE has always been kind to their fellowmen battling the odds of war as it has always upheld humanitarian values.

“Our medical infrastructure and the capabilities of doctors to provide a full range of multi-disciplinary  have led to successfully curing patients, who have gone back, thanking India nd the UAE’s generosity for medical support and recovery,” said Mr. Marwan Hajj Nasser, Director, VPS Healthcare.

Mohammed Awad, 25, and Jamil, 25, both of whom had undergone horrific injuries from bomb blasts with pieces of shrapnel imbeded into their limbs could not agree more. Mohammed will be returning home in two weeks. Jamil who had to have a finger amputated in his right hand still has to wait awhile before he sees the familiar shores of his beloved Yemen. Yet, both are happy that they can eventually return to leading their lives as before.

The patients from Yemen were brought to New Delhi as part of the bilateral relationship between India and the UAE, and the success of the mission has been possible only because of the close ties the two countries share and the convergence of their views on humanitarian issues. While both countries have trade, economic, defence and counter terrorism cooperation, this medical mission marks a new milestone in bilateral relations – cooperation in the humanitarian sphere. The Indian government has issued a medical attendance visa, valid for six months, for these patients.

This humanitarian initiative rolled out by the UAE government in association with the UAE Red Crescent to avail of medical care to the wounded soldiers and civilians has come as a great relief to disillusioned and devastated people of Yemen.

Aditi Bhaduri

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