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| Muhammed Asheel and students of Medical College, Alappuzha |
Few departments of Medical College Hospital, Alappuzha were situated in a dilapidated house in the city while few others were situated at Neerkunnam, about 5 km away. This had often caused fatal hardships to the patients. Although land had been earmarked for the purpose since 25 years, infrastructure never came up. Stray protests against this used to be fritted out each time.
However, when Muhammed Asheel became the Student Union Chairman in 2004-05, he decided that students must do something about it. About 190 idealist students gathered to promise that they will work towards this goal without resorting to strikes and disrupting classes.
They decided to sensitize the public by distributing 20000 leaflets. However, in the public meeting that followed, just 10 citizens participated.
Undaunted, students adopted another approach. They shot a 15-minute documentary on the status of the hospital and arranged roadshows on holidays. This time the response was quite positive. People at large and media in particular took up their cause and forced the government to constitute a task force under the District Collector to complete the construction of remaining buildings.
Soon work resumed. As the one who had initiated the struggle, Asheel acted the role of construction supervisor. He learned and implemented where each equipment has to be placed in the rooms.
On December 23, 2006, the Health Minister declared that the new building would be inaugurated on the New Year Day. The finishing touches had to be made to the buildings, equipments and furniture had to be shifted and the students had gone home on holidays. The Collector requested to Dr.Asheel that atleast 50 student volunteers be made available for the finishing work. And when the news was conveyed, 200 responded.
With girls and boys cleaning the floor, shifting equipments, cleaning mattresses, preparing pillows etc, the event moved towards its finale. And the College Union chipped in by collecting donations to provide food for the volunteers..
On New Year Day, students brought patients in ambulances and celebrated the consummation of their struggle in a unique way.
Courtesy:
Seena Tony Jose, Vanitha, August 15-31, 2007
Contributed by: Administrator
