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29 March 2024

Bank, credit card company write off debt of cancer patient

Abdul Sattar Mohammed Barak

Published
By VM Sathish

An Abu Dhabi bank and a Dubai-based credit card company have come to the rescue of a seriously ill cancer patient, after Emirates 24|7 highlighted his plight.

Expatriate Abdul Sattar Mohammed Barak is still unable to go home to India because of outstanding personal loans with two other banks.

Abdul Sattar, according to doctors, is not expected to live long. But he got a new lease of life after Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank and Dubai First came forward to waive his personal loan and credit card dues respectively. He has been unable to go home for the past six years due to unpaid loans and credit card debt.

The Indian expat owes about Dh50,000 to four creditors -- out of which two have now written off their dues.

Abdul Sattar was diagnosed with stomach cancer and his abdomen was resized, making it difficult for him to eat solid food. He has been surviving on just liquids for more than a year.

“I am happy that two creditors have waived my dues. Thank you, Emirates 24|7 and other social workers who tried to help me at this critical time. I hope the other two banks will also forgive my dues so that I can go back to my family in Chennai,” said Abdul Sattar, who worked in a private lab in Dubai.

Clearance letters from Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank and Dubai First said they are waiving Abdul Sattar’s debt on humanitarian grounds. The Muraqqabat police station has been asked to withdraw the cases filed against him by the two institutions.

There are two other cases pending against Abdul Sattar in Al Rafa and Bur Dubai police stations. If the two remaining creditors forgive his debt, these cases can be withdrawn and he would be able to go home.

Some other offers of financial help have come in from Emirates 24|7 readers but that is not enough to pay off his dues or meet the cost of his medical treatment.

Abdul Sattar said he owes money to two more UAE banks, to whose officials he has appealed for help.

“We have informed these banks about his health condition and I hope they are also thinking of lending a helping hand to him. My worry is that his health is deteriorating day by day,” said a social worker handling his case.

“We have collected some money for his future medical treatment after he goes home and this amount has already been remitted to his family in Chennai. We are also giving some cash to him here,” said Jaleel PA, President of Al Khail Gate Malayali Association (AKGMA).

Jaleel said AKGMA members are regularly visiting the patient and its active member Kishore Babu has been taking care of Abdul Sattar for a long time now.

“Our members are taking care of the patient because he cannot move and his leg has started swelling again. His health insurance does not cover all expenses,” he added.

“We hope more people will come forward to help him,” said Jaleel.

“I am becoming very weak now. I was recently admitted to a hospital again but was discharged,” said Abdul Sattar, who is now almost bedridden in a bachelor accommodation in Al Khail Gate. Sattar’s colleagues, who share the flat, are also helping him.

Abdul Sattar came to the UAE after more than two decades in Bahrain where he had a real estate business as well as night clubs that failed later.

 

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