‘Kaarunya’- A M-Friends initiative of feeding needy at Wenlock hosp enters 1000th-day

Mangaluru: M-Friends Charitable Trust, formed five years ago by about fifty like-minded people, which has been serving the poor in Dakshina Kannada district, completed 1,000 days of its ‘Kaarunya’- a ‘Thoughtful Help’ scheme, on Monday, 14 September 2020. The main objective of this group is to help the poor who are unable to avail of medical treatment or pay the hospital bills after treatment. One of the most ambitious projects of M-Friends is to provide meals to patients caretaker every night at the Govt Wenlock Hospital. Though the government is providing free food to the inpatients of the hospital, there is no system for providing food to the patient caretaker at the hospital.

Trust general secretary Rasheed Vitla speaking to News Karnataka said, M-Friends or Mercy Friends, has been serving poor patients and economically backward people in the district for more than five years. We have been serving food not only to patients’ attendants but also to the relatives who visit the patients. We have continued our service uninterrupted even during the days when the city witnessed curfew, bandhs, and COVID-19 lockdown, with the help of donors. Currently, a generous donor is providing lunch to patients attendants daily. It is pitiable that some of these people are forced to share the meals provided to the patients at night. While a few even resorted to begging for alms and many go to sleep on empty stomach”.

He further said, “Seeing the heartbreaking situation, some kind-hearted doctors, at their own expense-used to provide food to them at night. On 19 December 2017, based on a suggestion by a member of M-Friends, one of the doctors launched ‘Kaarunya’- a humanitarian programme for providing dinner every night to patients attendant. Now, at 6 pm every day, members of M-Friends gather before the hospital Lions Burn Centre and Rotary Physiotherapy Dept and distribute chapati and vegetable curry. Idli and rasam are served twice a week. In addition, Biriyani sweets and fruits are also distributed on special occasions. ‘Kaarunya’ is thus instrumental in meeting the needs of about 450-500 hungry people daily”.

“Wenlock Hospital, which has 1,000 beds, gets patients from villages of Many districts in the state as well as from Kasaragod of Kerala. A majority are poor and some of them must depend on the hospital for prolonged treatment spanning months. The trust spends Rs 2.25 lakh per month for the Karunya scheme. We distribute food coupons inside the hospital ward in advance as part of our discipline. An average of 400 – 500 persons benefits from our scheme regularly. Since the hospital is also a designated COVID Hospital, we are currently handing over the food directly to the hospital kitchen. M-Friends has 55 like-minded people as its members, and it was started with a WhatsApp group created on January 23, 2013. Later, a trust was formed. We feel happy to celebrate our 1,000 days of Karunya programme” added Rasheed.

To mark this milestone a small programme was held on 14 September at IMA Hall at 5 pm, where Deputy Commissioner Dr Rajendra K V was the chief guest, joined by guests of honour, Dr Sadhashiva, Director, Wenlock Hospital, Aikala Harish Shetty, President of Bunts Sangha, Mangaluru, Haji Shareef, Entrepreneur in Al-Jubail, Suadi Arabia and Dr Habeeb Rehman, MD of Unity Health Complex and Board Member of IMA, Mangaluru.

Rasheed Vittla welcomed the gathering, followed by felicitation to two dedicated volunteers- Ashfaq of M-Friends for his commitment and hard work, and Souhan S K- the caterer who takes care of the meals at a very reasonable price and his support.

Speaking on the occasion, DC Dr. Rajendra K V said, “I do like this concept of providing meals to the poor people taking care of the patients at the hospital, which should be appreciated and commended. M-Friends members are doing yeomen service to see that no one goes to bed hungry at Wenlockhospital. As a doctor myself, I know the pain and suffering some poor patients and the caretakers are going through while at govt hospitals, and M-Friends have really come to their rescue. My assurance to the members of M-Friends, if they need any help from the district administration, I am ready to help them, to the best of my ability. Great community service by M-Friends and good luck in your future service to suffering humanity”.

The vote of thanks was proposed by Aboobaker- the treasurer of M-Friends and the programme was compered by journalist Mohammed Arif, the secretary of M-Friends.