On Friday, September 21st, 2012, a nationwide protest, ‘Ishq-e-Rasool’ against the anti-Muhamad video-maker resulted in unrest across Pakistan with 20 casualties and over 200 injuries. That afternoon, Zain Ullah was leaving work to go home to avoid the raging crowd. He didn’t make it home as he was shot in the leg while another person died on the site. He lay there, unconscious, until he was rushed to hospital by pedestrians who noticed his injuries. He was immediately taken to the Emergency Room of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), in Islamabad where he was abandoned. He was left there unattended until the evening when Dr. Wazir Ahmed, Heartfile Health Financing’s partnering doctor at PIMS Hospital, noticed and took the lead to help him. Zain was malnourished and had no food, money or means of getting home.
Zain is a 20 year old immigrant laborer from Jalalabad, Afghanistan. He left his family of eleven members in their house without gas, electricity or water. In his job as a laborer he earns Rs. 200 per day (approx. $2) if, indeed, there is work for him. Any money he saves he sends home. Since Zain Ullah belongs to the minority community, he would not have been eligible for Pakistan state social protection channels, which are meant to provide health financing to the Pakistani Muslim population. Zain Ullah required an immediate surgery for an external fixator that would have cost him Rs. 10,300. Otherwise, he would have had to have his leg amputated. Dr. Wazir Ahmed called the HHF team at 9pm that night and communicated the urgency of the case. Zain’s surgery was done within four hours after Heartfile provided financial support for his treatment.
In the event that his treatment had not been facilitated by Heartfile Health Financing, Zain would have foregone treatment, lost his limb, and would have been sent back to his family to add to their burden. Heartfile not only paid for his treatment, but he was given ancillary support of Rs. 15,000 to pay for his required medicines and multi-vitamins. It is times like these when one must not lose faith in humanity.
No doubt .The people from a War torn country migrate in search of livelihood and if they become the victim of these unseen events ,they not only crumble the person but the whole family crumbles. I really appreciate the efforts of Heartfile team especially the president Dr.Sania Nishtar . Keep it up our prayers are with you and God bless all. of you