A noble gesture

Ailing staffs and children pose for photograph with the officials of Youngone before boarding a private Air Ambulance at Chittagong Shah Amanat International Airport on Saturday. PHOTO: STAR

But things started turning other way soon to wreak havoc on the poor families of Monowara, Sharmin and Rina Dutta. To their utter disbelief, they came to know that their sweet little kids have critical heart diseases and they will die in next few years if they don't get treatment on emergency basis.

Knowing this heartbreaking news, the very world of Monowara, Sharmin and Rina -- three low-paid employees of Youngone Group and mothers of Roksana,2, Al-Amin,4 and Priya,8, -- were almost devastated as they couldn't even think what to do in such a crucial situation with their meager wages.

At this stage there came the Youngone Group, the largest foreign investor in Chittagong Export Processing Zone (CEPZ), to extend its benevolence to the three with its unique healthcare facilities. Many of the Youngone workers and staffs were not aware of such 'humanitarian facilities' at their very doorsteps.

Monowara, mother of Roksana, has been working as helper at the company for the last two years.

"I was just shattered when I know that my daughter had developed the congenital heart disease about a month ago," said Monowara. Local doctors told me that it would take at least Tk 3 lakh for treatment, which was far beyond my capacity, she said.

Then one of the 51 counselors, who look after the welfare of Youngone workers, suggested me to inform it to the company authorities.

"The authorities assured me of all support about the future of my child when I approached them and told me not to be worried any more," she added.

Priya's mother Rina has been working as a cleaner for 12 years and father as a peon at Youngone.

The poor couple had similar story like Monowara.

"I'm so happy that my company has taken the responsibility to cure my daughter suffering from critical heart disease," Rina said.

The company has set an example in Bangladesh by introducing such an extra-ordinary healthcare service especially for people like us who fight for everyday to earn bread and butter, she said.

Sharmin, who has been working as an operator for the last eight year, also got a lease of life after the company took over the responsibility for treatment of her child Al-Amin.

Like Roksana, Al-Amin and Priya, two other workers -- Sheuly Dey, 25, and Shahin Akhter, 24, -- suffering from critical heart diseases for long are also beneficiary of the humanitarian service.

The five accompanied by their parents and Youngone doctors were flown to Dhaka in a highly sophisticated and state-of-the-art air ambulance of the Korean company from Chittagong Shah Amanat International Airport on January 21 morning. The company will bear all the expenses of their treatment at the Apollo Hospitals.

All the five were suffering from congenital heart diseases like Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD), Atrial Septal Defect (ASD) and Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA), said Dr NK Barua, Chief Medical Officer of the company.

Peter Bauer, president of Youngone, said, "The diseases are critical in nature and treatment for these are very expensive, yet the company will bear the entire cost as part of its humanitarian medicare service for its employees and dependents."

He said about 69 employees and dependents have so far received the service since 2000 free of cost and returned to their normal lives.

"I believe that if you want best services from your workers or employees, you must take best care of their welfare too," Peter said.

He said Youngone has arranged open-heart surgery of congenital heart diseases, valve replacement, coronary bypass surgery, and kidney transplantation for its employees and their dependents.

Last month one employee Junu Barua, a case of ASD, was successfully operated upon at the Apollo Hospitals in Dhaka.

Besides, three workers were treated at Woodland Hospital in Kolkata in 2000 for congenital heart diseases at the cost of Youngone. One worker got his kidney transplanted at Vallore in Madras, Youngone sources said.

Peter said, "The main objective of Youngone health facilities is to maintain a high degree of occupational health and safety for the workers. For this, it runs three well-equipped medical centres with a full-time doctor and two nurses for each 1,000 workers at both CEPZ and DEPZ and also employs six specialists on internal medicine, gynaecology, eye, dental, TB and physiotherapy."

He said other large companies should follow the example to get maximum service from their employees.