Malkha Rouhi, an Indian girl suffering from SMA Type 1, requires a whopping QR11.65mn for her treatment. But the social media and Indian community in Qatar are rallying behind her, determined to do what they can.
Hussain Ahmad
DOHA: The five-month-old baby lies swathed in a blanket at an apartment at Ain Khalid in Doha, an effusive smile adorning her cherubic face, which touches our hearts instantly. The only indication of a severe, life-threatening medical condition she is suffering from is a nondescript tube that runs across her cheek into one of her nostrils – to feed her to avoid infection.
Her name is Malkha Rouhi.
It’s a name that’s now familiar to thousands of people in Qatar, especially among the expat Indian community. Because, Malkha is suffering from a rare disease called Type 1 Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), a genetic disorder that affects nerves and muscles, which requires an astronomical QR11.65mn for treatment, a case which has been taken up by Qatar Charity, under the case number 206863
With her distinctive name and pristine innocence, what Malkha doesn’t know is that her medical condition has created a wave of sympathy and galvanized the expat Indian community in Qatar into a mega fundraising drive that has caught the attention of the mainstream media, having previously gone viral on the social media.
Several companies in Qatar have already contributed funds for Malkha’s treatment, which came mostly in the form of donations from their staff, and a prominent expat organization in Qatar even conducted what it called a Biriyani Challenge a few days ago, distributing more than 5,500 packets of Biriyani within a few hours. The money collected from the drive, which was QR107,000, was handed over to Qatar Charity for Malkha’s treatment.
“We found out about Malkha’s condition when she was two-months old, when we took her for the routine polio vaccination. The doctor at the health centre in Qatar suspected a muscle weakness and referred her for more tests which were done at the neurology section at Sidra Medicine. After some tests, doctors confirmed she was suffering from SMA Type 1,” Risal Abdul Rasheed, father of Malkha, who hails from the southern Indian state of Kerala and works as a project engineer at Metito in Doha, told News Trail. Risal came to Doha five years ago.
SMA Type-1 is a lethal disease and affected patients will develop progressive muscle weakness, respiratory failure, and swallowing failure. And if not treated, most of the affected patients will die before one year of age.
Risal spoke of the devastation and despair that struck him and his wife, Nihala Nizam, upon hearing of their daughter’s disease. But there was another shock in store – the cost of the medicine, which would make anyone, not only Risal, swoon: QR11,654,028
“I just stood frozen. How can I raise QR11.654 million which is equivalent to 26 crores? It was just unthinkable,” he says, his voice tinged with emotion.
That’s when doctors at Sidra Medicine – where Malkha is undergoing treatment now – referred her case to Social Work Team at Sidra, which contacted Qatar Charity, which agreed to take up the case.
“I could have just blamed fate and kept silent, but I decided to do what I can. But soon I realized that I was not alone in my sorrow and help came from all quarters. I knocked several doors and every door I knocked at opened. Even people who didn’t know me came forward to help me. Our hearts are full of gratitude to Qatar Charity and the Indian community in Qatar whose support has been overwhelming. I am happy and grateful to God to be in this country which gives so much importance to humanitarian services,” said Risal.
After the diagnosis, Nihala, who was a teacher at Podar Pearl School, resigned from her job as the baby needed full-time care. Risal, who is on a temporary leave from his job, spends his time helping the fundraising drive.
Donations for Malkha’s treatment are collected by Qatar Charity, and its website shows the progress of the fundraising drive. At the time of writing this, the website shows that QR2.658m has been collected from 4,399 donors so far, with a balance amount of QR8.995m.
That’s still an astronomical amount, which worries Risal, as every day is crucial for the life of his baby. But he is optimistic and puts his trust in the Almighty, he says, because if he has reached thus far, it’s possible to cover the remaining distance, too.
But that would still depend on the magnanimity and kindness of people who need to come forward to save the life of a child.
