To, The Editor, Respected Sir/Madam, A True story of a victim of Dubai ( United Arab Emirates) Inhumane and Discriminating law of Dubai (U.A.E) for Tuberculosis Patients My name is Charanjeet Singh, an Indian national and a former resident of U.A.E. March 2013 I was suspected with old tuberculosis by D.H.A (Dubai Health Authority) and was deported immediately. Many others are getting deported everyday just due to a scar in their lungs; Dubai calls it as Old T.B scar! I have read a lot on these scars which could be due to many reasons, such as pneumonia, lung infections, cystic fibrosis, asbestosis, silicosis and sarcoidosis etc. a common reason could be Pneumonia. Scar in my lung is completely harmless like cough or cold, while getting together with any person in society like a normal person, as suggested by A.I.I.M.S. hospital (India) It is really cruel when i come to know that until now these outdated laws exist in the Gulf countries and on the other hand they fight against discrimination! In India, there are all nationalities working here, we never deport any expatriate!! Rather we welcome patients with deadly diseases to come to our country and provide them proper medical treatment at their major centers like A.I.I.M.S. U.A.E has the right to deport any expatriate but not the local residents, even if they are suffering from harmful active tuberculosis. Isn’t it discrimination? Even If a patient is not well and his T.B is active or harmful, still on humanitarian basis, they should never put a ban on T.B patient. On the contrary government should open T.B treatment centers across U.A.E. In the worst to worst case they may deport the expatriate 6 to 9 months to his/her country to get their T.B treated so that he may come back again and work like other human beings. Early T.B detection and “complete treatment” would help reduce its spread by providing free medicines as India is helping to its patients irrespective of any location he/she belongs to. Risk of deportation only means that expatriates were instead tempted to avoid diagnosis, increasing the risk of spreading the disease Active T.B is easily treated as per the study if reported on time and If the government is willing to support instead of deport. Now the visa age is 2 years on employment instead of 3 years and health authorities may come to know the patients who are not healthy and should be treated in a helpful environment in U.A.E itself. I myself was suspected as a victim of old/non-active tuberculosis, I was deported with permanent ban , prior to that I was working just like you people in U.A.E since 6 years .I was unaware about the fact how a T.B. patients feel if he has been found with active or old T.B . In my case i really felt humiliation from U.A.E and felt depressed about this brutal law of deporting the patients just like a prisoner after he completes his punishment. I never expected this kind of behavior from U.A.E as happened with me. I have studied many editorials in the past couple of months. • For an instance, there was a case wherein husband and wife got separated with their small kids just because one of them was suffering from active tuberculosis. She said in her report, I am feeling like hell without my husband and my kids in U.A.E! • Someone left behind a fiancé, excellent job and apartment and of course all good friends. • Last but not the least, latest article pleads mercy on 21st July 2013, wherein a 61-year-old says he’s never had problems with his medical tests ever in his life , after spending 40 years of his life in Dubai ,this old man decided to open his own company in Dubai. All his dreams were shattered by this obsolete law just due to scars in his lungs. Instead of providing him T.B treatment, Old man was kept in quarantine like a criminal until he is deported. “Human heart is needed to understand his feelings at that moment of time.” Needless to say, bitter and unforgettable experience of his life after investing decades in a Gulf country (U.A.E). • Here I can judge the difference between the caring cultures of Gulf countries with my own home country. Present circumstances reminds me the malpractice of untouchability existed 5 decades ago, where in an individual was deliberately excluded from social interaction permanently. Malpractice is same; a protective sheath is given to appear it as a civilized law to keep T.B (active/inactive) patients on permanent ban from a so called ethical and modern country. Do you call this universal brotherhood or discrimination?? This is simply social rejection! Wherein one country is deporting the sick machines back to their home country to get repair and remain there permanently! I ask the government that for what purpose hospitals are made in U.A.E? Remove the sickness from U.A.E instead of removing sick. • If Government is really scared from heart to help these patients then at least they should not treat them like prisoners, sent back to their home country with permanent ban to enter U.A.E just because of a small scar. I was deported in March, 2013 and my medical tests were first held at D.I.F.C and then at al Muhaisnah medical fitness centre (Sonapur). After 18 days of doubtfulness, Medical Centre declared that I have old T.B. since I have scar in my lung. They said I had T.B in the past, perhaps when I was born at that time, you might be unaware .Neither me while working and staying in my home country, nor my parents had any T.B infection in their lifetime. I am yoga practitioner, doing breathing exercises on daily basis to keep myself healthy and to boost my immunity. How can I suffer from T.B? There is no bigger hospital than A.I.I.M.S (All India Institute of Medical Sciences) in India I hope you have heard its name. I went to A.I.I.M.S at New Delhi and done all my checkups i.e. skin test (Mantoux), chest x-ray, blood test, 3 times sputum test and a chest C.T scan too on special advise by senior doctor to have a close look at the scar, and on that basis they did issued me the certificate stating that I do not have any active T.B. Senior doctors (A.I.I.M.S) asked me why did they deported you when you have no complication? The same was done at U.A.E also, my all tests were negative, just my chest x-ray is showing scar and they deported me and I lost a very good job in Dubai for no reason. • A.I.I.M.S senior officer clearly told me that we cannot claim it as T.B at any cost even we have seen your C.T scan also until we go deep into your lungs which is not required. • D.H.A does guess work on T.B on the basis of mere x.ray film. Telling you the fact as it is! A.I.I.M.S plainly refused to provide me any medicine for old T.B; they said we cannot take any risk by providing you T.B. medicine when you do not have any complication like a T.B patient do have, as for complications there are medicines in our hospital. I ask U.A.E government to tell me where I should go to remove this innocent scar. If there is any medicine in this world to remove this scar please do let me know. To satisfy myself again i went to D.D.U government hospital, there Chest specialist (Dr. Kumar) told me that these scars go automatically and are completely harmless; there is no need for any medicine and no need to worry. I have seen so many cases where in scars disappears on its own. D.H.A said we are working as per federal law! I ask the government-does federal laws are more important than humanity? Instead of providing proper treatment to the patients and guests of your country, federal laws say to issues permanent ban? When I was told I have old tuberculosis I asked the government to issue me at least a simple letter stating that I have old or active T.B. so that I can get my treatment in India on that basis. • D.H.A was not ready to give me anything in written! Was something concealed from me?? My question is that if they have to work as per their personal laws then why they talk about helping humanity? Does any religion in the world teach any person to get away from the person who is sick? Holy month of Ramadan is going on; No religion teaches this I believe! It’s human mind that makes laws and changes it as per the time when he/she is convinced that this law is not applicable at present time. When I read the critiques of poor people who are claiming that they do not have any kind of problem in their body and they are deported after investing huge sums of money in their country to the outsourcing agents, I can really feel their pain because now I am also wearing the same shoe. • Assuming the current scenario in the future, i will never suggest any citizen of my country to work and visit U.A.E whether they provide double pay of what your are getting in your home country. Finally, they will be the culprit if they still go and get kicked in case they are sick with T.B. in the mid of their growing career just and just because of U.A.E’s adamant laws. • Migrating to U.A.E leaving behind your important contacts in your home country is not a small sacrifice! Having glance at few articles in U.A.E newspapers, this message was brought to the notice to U.A.E government in the past to bring changes to the law but all efforts proven futile perhaps they cannot feel the pain of others who are waiting as on date to meet their loved ones working in U.A.E. Everyday articles concerning this tyrant law is being published by local newspapers in U.A.E, it feels depressed that media is also failed there to get liberty from a conservative law. Disease may happen to anyone at any time don’t know what would be the emotional cause behind that disease. Today it’s my turn; tomorrow could be the ignoring readers from different countries!! I ask U.A.E locals to put yourself on my side and tell me how would you feel if you are willing to visit or work abroad and you are banned in the same way i am? A bitter truth of my life what I have faced and experienced while living and leaving U.A.E after spending my 6 years in Dubai (U.A.E). This report is an alarm for citizens of your country, about U.A.E’s turbulent laws before they leave their homes for a Gulf country to earn money, leaving their personal and social life behind. I know I am fighting alone against an outdated law , I believe that it will provide justice to numerous souls worldwide going to be a victim of this law in the near future. Your support will be highly appreciated to write something for this moral cause! Please feel free to contact me. Thanking you for your precious time! With Gratitude, (Charanjeet Singh) Email: charanjeetsingb@gmail.com Mob: +91 9560728263 New Delhi [India]