In a first, Covid-19 patient shifted from UAE to India

In a first, Covid-19 patient shifted from UAE to India

An Indian expat, who suffered serious medical complications after being diagnosed with Covid-19, has become the first patient to be transferred to India for further treatment, according to social workers.

Keralite Abdul Jabbar Chettian is said to be the first person to be medically evacuated from a foreign country to Kerala, by following the Covid-19 protocol transfer for a patient who has tested positive for coronavirus.

Ajman-based businessman Jabbar tested positive for Covid-19 in the UAE on January 6, 2021. However, as the viral infection progressed, Jabbar was diagnosed with pneumonia with severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).

The family wanted to shift him to Kerala for advanced treatment, said Praveen Kumar, social worker and member of the medical team at the Consulate-General of India in Dubai. “The transfer was initiated by air ambulance company Universal Medical Transfer Services, which has operations in the UAE and India,” he added.

Jabbar's nephew Adil CT told Khaleej Times: “We decided to transfer him because 90 per cent of his family is back home in Kerala. Also, my uncle was keen to continue his treatment there. As of now, he is still critical. However, we