When Huzefa Vana heard about the second wave of coronavirus in India, his heart sank. He, like many of us, had thought that the country had won over the virus. He believed that it was only a matter of months when things would go back to normal. So, when cases continued to rise, he was keeping a close track of it. And it was when news of the healthcare system collapsing in the country broke out, he knew he had to do something.
When Huzefa Vana heard about the second wave of coronavirus in India, his heart sank. He, like many of us, had thought that the country had won over the virus. He believed that it was only a matter of months when things would go back to normal. So, when cases continued to rise, he was keeping a close track of it. And it was when news of the healthcare system collapsing in the country broke out, he knew he had to do something.
"It was heart-breaking. I had to see my friends running from pillar to pillar for help. I couldn't sleep that night" says an emotional Huzefa.
Huzefa Vana is a diamond merchant based out of Dubai. He is also the MD of AllianceTime Media and admits that he is in the business to understand human emotions better.
So, when he saw that his friends needed immediate help, he decided to step up. He sent dozens of oxygen concentrators to his friends and relatives in April and then went on to arrange crucial medicines from them too. "But that too wasn't enough, he says. "The plight of people asking for help wouldn't stop. It was devastating. So, I went to establish a fund out of my savings," adds Huzefa. The 30-year-old went on to distribute hundreds of crucial medicines like Remdesivir, certain drugs and something as crucial as an oximeter too.
"It's not just medicines and oxygen that the public needs. The shortage of hospital beds is another obstacle. I've set up two people from my team whose job is to call up hospitals and verify leads on the availability of beds. Sometimes I also sit down to make calls and help as many people as I can," says Huzefa. "Taking care of the patient's food is another area we're very active in. Many times, when the whole family is infected, there's no one to provide food to these families. We try taking care of that too," he adds.
Huzefa says his team is also active in taking care of the doctors. "We're taking them for granted, he says. "These guys go on to work for 20 hours a day and there's very little empathy for them. My team has set up a process where we provide them with food of their choice. We're also very active in listening to their issues and are working towards roping in a few more friends to sort their issues out."
Huzefa says that the data shows that the curve is flattening and calls it a relief. "Even a single life lost is heartbreaking. We can't stoop down to making a human life succumb down to being a single number. But the lowering number of cases gives me hope that the needy will get the necessary treatment. That's what the fight is for - medical assistance and treatment," he adds.
Huzefa Vana's name has been out in the media at regular intervals. But more than being about his business, it's about his humanitarian work. "See, no matter where I'm, my roots are in India. These are the people I grew up with. They're my brothers and sisters and I can feel their pain. I've lived in this culture, so I know how important family is. It's rooted in me," he adds.
Well, the kind of work that Huzefa Vana is putting out, we too realise how much he loves the country and hopes more and more people come up to help the needy.
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