After reading mid-day story on injured cricketer, a couple of readers help him get admitted to hospital, but the complex and costly treatment calls for more financial assistance
Mohsin Shaikh at the Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital in Andheri. Pic/Sundari Iyer.
Reading the story of Ulhasnagar-based fast bowler Mohsin Shaikh (published in mid-day on Feb 28), who injured his head in a train accident in 2004 and is still struggling to recover, a few sympathetic and generous readers have come forward to help him.
ADVERTISEMENT
Mohsin Shaikh at the Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital in Andheri. Pic/Sundari Iyer.
Mohsin (now 23 years old), a resident of Ulhasnagar cannot speak and move without support or perform any daily tasks on his own after he fell off the train just before Vitthalwadi station on May 28, 2004 while returning home from Dombivli, where the then 14-year-old pacer was attending a Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) under-15 summer camp.
After reading about his plight, Dr Jigisha Nanavati Shah, a general practitioner and consulting homeopath in Malad and Navin Shetty, a MCA managing committee member got in touch with Mohsin’s family and admitted him to the Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital in Andheri. Here, Mohsin has been enrolled into a six-week rehabilitation programme that will need to be followed-up by visits to the hospital for another six months. The total cost of treatment is estimated to be around Rs five to six lakh.
Doctor’s advice
Dr Abhishek Srivastava, Director for the Center of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation at the Ambani hospital, who is currently treating Mohsin explained: “Mohsin has suffered a brain injury a few years ago. Our aim is to try to make him independent — to be able to perform his daily activities on his own. For that, we are helping him with speech therapy, robot-assisted arm training that will help improve his hand functions, occupational therapy (OT) and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) for a period of six to eight weeks. Right now it’s too early to comment, but he is showing some positive signs of improvement.”
Dr Shah, who initiated Mohsin’s admission to hospital said she was shocked to see him suffering.
“I was surprised that no one offered the boy’s parents any proper guidance on the treatment he needed. My husband Pratik got in touch with a doctor at Ambani hospital and we admitted Mohsin here on March 8. The first part of his rehab has begun but given the complexity of the treatment, a lot more financial assistance is needed before Mohsin can stand on his feet again,” said Dr Shah.
Additional aid required
Shetty is hopeful that additional help will come. “Being an MCA committee member, I felt ashamed that this case was not attended to appropriately. We need to take care of these kids, who play under the MCA banner. I hope more people come forward to help Mohsin so that we can ensure he lives a better life,” said Shetty.
Mohsin’s father Hussain can be contacted on 09767414924.
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
