A financially troubled Indian expatriate, who experienced severe heart failure, was successfully repatriated using an airline stretcher, thanks to the collaborative efforts of the Indian embassy, a hospital, and a church. Sibimon Babu, a father of two from Kerala, returned to Abu Dhabi on a visit visa seeking better opportunities amid financial difficulties. He secured a job at a restaurant in the Tourist Club Area but soon faced a life-threatening health crisis.
"Babu had pre-existing heart conditions when he arrived in February," explained Tino Mathew Thomas, a member of the Mar Thoma Church in Abu Dhabi, who coordinated the repatriation process with the embassy and the hospital. Babu experienced difficulty breathing and a persistent cough at the end of April, leading him to seek medical help at a private hospital before his residency visa was finalized. He obtained his Emirates ID in the first week of May.
After thorough examination, Babu was diagnosed with chronic systolic heart failure and cardiogenic shock. His family, members of the Mar Thoma Church in the Kollam district of Kerala, contacted their priest, who in turn informed the church in Mussafah. The church provided emotional support through daily visits, prayers, and home-cooked meals. The hospital, in consultation with the Indian Embassy, recommended repatriation to India for advanced medical care and family support.
The church facilitated the arrival of Babu's wife on a visit visa to care for him. The Indian Embassy officials met with Babu, the hospital administration, and secured his passport from his employer, also arranging air tickets for an in-flight stretcher. The hospital handled the logistics and dispatched a doctor and a nurse as medical escorts to Kerala. Babu's employer also contributed financially to his family.
On Thursday, Babu was flown back to India on an Air India flight, accompanied by his wife and a medical team, and was admitted to the Government Medical College in Thiruvananthapuram.
