Many a time one person’s dream is tied to the destiny of millions others. When that man’s philanthropic dream helps blossom smiles in many helpless homes the world salutes the dreamer for his altruism. When an emphatic heart feels the agonies of the thousands around, and takes a solemn vow to add hope to their lives, an institution like this is born. Standing tall amidst an ocean of human despair this is an altar where all religion, caste and creed melt just into humanity; and yes, the buck, there, is not your identity.

These are the summed up observations made by a cross-section of people with whom I talked about the Haji Abdul Majid Memorial Hospital and Research Centre (HAMMH) and other allied charitable activities of the Haji Abdul Majid Memorial Public Trust during my visit to the hospital on October 24 as an invitee to the 20th annual conference of the Association of Surgeons of Assam & NE zonal CME (ASACON 2009) held at Hojai under the aegis of the HAMMH.

Some of the known surgeons of the State including veteran surgeon Dr Sarat Chandra Dutta attended the conference. Meeting him at the Hojai railway station after alighting the Janshatabdi Express was a pleasant surprise as he said in his usual smile: “I just finished your article on Bhola Saikia; it made interesting reading.” He was referring to an article in the Horizon on October 24. It’s nice to hear such compliments from a fatherly figure and a renowned surgeon like him, who is over 80 now and still going strong. Such gestures, even if superficial, help encourage the striving lots to improve upon and give their best to the society.

Renowned surgeons from AIIMS, New Delhi and others also attended the ASACON 2009 which was elegantly managed at a place like Hojai by the organising committee under the leadership of Dr Chaidul Islam. Dr Islam has made an enviable sort of record by performing over 10,000 surgical operations in just over a decade. He also presented a paper on his experiences in single incision laparoscopic surgery (SILS), the latest innovation in laparoscopic surgery and a revolutionary procedure in healthcare today for its many advantages.

During a candid talk he informed that in just about a year he has performed 67 surgeries through the SILS procedure. Small wonder that Dr Islam has carved a very special niche for himself in the field of laparoscopic surgery countrywide.

Executive trustee of HAMM Public Trust Shaheed Hussain, while informing about the sustenance of the hospital and other allied charitable activities of the Trust said that, ‘had it not been for the generosity and sincerity of purpose, we would not have been able to continue with the noble mission of late Haji Ajmal Ali, who established the hospital in memory of his father Haji Abdul Majid, to serve the deprived section of society in getting the right healthcare facilities we are offering now’. The spirit and zeal for philanthropy in all his five sons reflect the legacy left behind by their illustrious father Haji Ajmal Ali.

Basically an entrepreneur who runs a decent fabrication unit, Shaheed has a knack for innovation to make things cost-effective. He further said that “we try to maintain strict austerity measures to minimise the cost, even by innovating in different ways, and make the system as cost-effective as possible. “Being a charitable hospital, inaugurated by none other than Mother Teresa after being fully convinced of its aims and objectives, the treatment, including surgeries are free for the poor and needy,” Shaheed said. Going a little bit more in detail, he said, “out of twenty surgical procedures for child birth, gall bladder, hernia and other such operations, we get payment from about seven patients on an average, and that too very nominally charged.”

Shaheed also informed about individual cases, where, not to speak of any charge, patients and their families are given amounts considering their inability to maintain the postoperative cost, or during sustenance of the recuperating period.

“All these have been possible due to the genuine will to serve the poor, service to whom amounts to service to the Almighty, as championed by the patriarch in Seth Sahab, as Haji Ajmal Ali is adorably called,” said Nurul Hoque, executive secretary of managing trustee Sirajuddin Ajmal.

Let’s hope that other centres also take a leaf or two of such compassion and service which would make them feel more worthy.

Simanta Bhagawati