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He would have died in the UAE without seeing his family in India if social workers and media had not helped him

Three weeks after Abdul Sattar Farooq was finally sent home to the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu with the help of social workers, friends and colleagues in the UAE, the debt ridden cancer patient died on Sunday night, leaving everyone who worked hard for his repatriation and medical treatment sad.

Well known Dubai-based Indian social worker Umarani Padmanabhan (extreme left) with cancer patient Abdul Sattar in wheel chair and his family members at the airport after reaching India on August 27.

Sattar’s family members informed his former employer and colleagues of his death. After reaching home, Abdul Sattar was taken to the Madurai Meenakshi Mission Cancer Treatment Centre. As his cancer was at an advanced stage, doctors at the centre advised family members to take him home where he breathed his last.

“It is unfortunate that despite all efforts to save him, Sattar has passed away. He died in his house in Tamil Nadu in the presence of his family. Indian social workers, who worked hard to repatriate the seriously ill man with the help of Emirates 24|7, are sad but satisfied that the dying man’s last wish to die after seeing his wife, daughters and other family members was fulfilled,” said well-known Indian social worker Umarani Padmanabhan

 “When we boarded an Emirates flight from Dubai on August 27, I was worried because he was breathless for a few minutes inside the plane. I was worried whether I would be able to reach him home alive. I handed over the patient to his family who were waiting at the airport,” said Umarani who met officials of banks and credit card companies to forgive Sattar’s outstanding loans. 

“He was desperate and calling every day for help because he knew he was slowly dying. He was worried that doctors had given him only a few months to live and was happy to leave the UAE. I am glad that he could die in the presence of his family members,” added Umarani, who had accompanied the wheelchair- bound Sattar on his flight home.

Abdul Sattar could not leave the UAE to visit his family in India for six long years because of his unpaid credit card debts.  Some banks refused to write off Abdul Sattar’s outstanding loans, even though he was slowly dying of stomach cancer and the man was surviving on just liquid food after two surgeries that resized his stomach.

Abdul Sattar ran a nightclub in Bahrain for more than twenty years and came to the UAE to work for a private laboratory after he was allegedly cheated by his business partners. He was diagnosed with stomach cancer about 18 months ago. He was undergoing treatment with the help of medical insurance provided by his employer who used to pay him salary even when he was unable to work.

After reaching India, Abdul Sattar spoke to Emirates 24|7 and said he cannot find words to express his gratitude to the Indian community in the UAE and Emirates 24|7 for helping him come out of a debt trap.

“How can I express my gratitude to the media, the social workers and other well-wishers who helped me come out of a difficult situation? I am happy to be home after six long years,” he told this reporter a few days before he died from the hospital bed.

“Thanks to reports in Emirates 24|7 about his plight, three banks wrote off his credit card dues. However, payment had to be made to one of the four banks. One bank was stubborn and took his end of service benefit of Dh 18,000,” said Kishore Babu of the Al Khail Gate Malayali Association that raised money for Sattar’s follow up treatment in India.

“We were all sad when he left us for good. We gave him Dh 7,000 in cash and sent another Dh 10,000 for his treatment in India. Now we are all sad that he is no more,” he said, adding that his colleagues are planning to collect funds to help Sattar’s family for about a year.

“Abdul Sattar used to cry every time I met him or called him. I had to skip my job to run around for getting clearance letters from the banks. Thanks to Umarani Padmanabhan and Emirates 24|7, he came out of a debt trap. If the process had been delayed, he would have died in the UAE without seeing his family. At least his last wish has been fulfilled and that gives us some satisfaction,” added Kishore Babu.