SRINAGAR, SEPTEMBER 06: In 2014, when devastating floods ravaged Kashmir, a doctor used a broken fruit vendor’s cart to respond to medical emergencies in Srinagar.
Dr Imtiaz Ahmed Wani, currently a Consultant Surgeon at Government Gousia Hospital, was trapped at his home when the flood overwhelmed the valley, including the Civil Lines areas and Amira Kadal.
This disaster cast a pall of gloom over the people, with many areas cut off from the rest of the valley.
One night, Wani heard cries for help from someone needing treatment for his mother, who was in severe pain and agony. The doctor, trapped in his house, risked his life and ran over rooftops, using a lantern for light, to reach the patient.
The patient received treatment, and her suffering was relieved.
As water levels rose, the health crisis worsened. Wani received numerous requests for emergency treatment. As a moral and ethical duty in this desperate situation, Dr Imtiaz treated people without concern for his own safety.
His true test of dedication came when requests for help started coming from ill and ailing people in distant places. From using boats to finding other means, he continued to respond to medical emergencies.
Thousands of patients, both locals and non-locals, were treated by him free of cost. From dressing the injured to treating acute allergic reactions caused by contaminated flood water, he remained on his toes to ensure everyone received care.
With the help of volunteers from Idhara Auqaf Gousia, a medical aid camp was set up and run for many days to aid the flood victims.