What began as a routine journey from the UK to India (via Doha) took a frightening turn for an elderly Indian passenger when he suffered a stroke mid-flight while transiting through Doha.
Thanks to the swift response of medical teams and the unwavering support of the Indian Embassy in Qatar and the Indian community there, this crisis turned into a warm story of care, coordination, and compassion.
Upon landing, airport authorities acted without delay. The 69-year-old elderly passenger was rushed to Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), Qatar’s premier medical facility, where doctors provided emergency treatment and stabilized his condition — a critical intervention that likely saved his life.
But the support didn’t stop at the hospital doors. Recognizing the gravity of the situation, the Embassy of India in Doha, under the leadership of Ambassador Vipul, immediately mobilized its resources. Working closely with the Indian Community Benevolent Forum (ICBF), the Embassy provided continuous support to the patient and his family — handling everything from hospital coordination and insurance queries to travel documentation and logistics.
The Embassy’s Labour Wing, led by First Secretary Dr. Eish Singhal, worked in close coordination with ICBF under President Shanavas Bava to ensure the passenger's comfort and dignity throughout his stay in Doha.
“They coordinated with the insurance provider, ensured arrangements were in place for financial support if required, and managed all necessary medical follow-ups and documentation. They also facilitated the crucial ‘fit-to-fly’ clearance and provided on-ground assistance through immigration and departure formalities at the airport, ensuring a seamless and dignified journey back home,” said the Embassy in a statement here.
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In an emotional video shared by the Indian Embassy on social media platform X, the passenger’s son-in-law, speaking in Malayalam, expressed his gratitude. “My father-in-law had a stroke during our journey from the UK to India. He was admitted to Hamad Medical Corporation. The Embassy and ICBF stood by us through every step — from hospital formalities to the paperwork needed for a transit passenger. They didn’t leave our side until we got the fit-to-fly certificate. We are deeply thankful.”
On its part, the Embassy of India in Doha too thanked the collaborative efforts of HMC’s medical team, Qatar Airways, ICBF volunteers, that helped the elderly passenger’s safe repatriation to India — a successful conclusion to a critical humanitarian mission.
In times of health emergencies away from home, it is not merely medical intervention that counts — but also the compassion, coordination, and care extended during those critical hours as was also felt by the elderly patient and his family as they had no one to bank upon in Doha at the crucial time. Thanks to the Indian Embassy and community organisations, a helpful gesture that a health crisis has turned into a story of compassion that they would remember for their life.
