KOZHIKODE: High above the clouds, somewhere between Tashkent and Delhi, a young Kerala doctor-in-training found himself in the kind of life-or-death moment most people only read about. The cabin lights were dim, passengers were settling into the long flight, and suddenly, a frantic announcement cut through the silence: “If there is a doctor or medical staff on board, please inform the crew immediately.”
It was a 24-year-old medical intern from Tirur, Malappuram — Dr Anees Mohamed — who stood up. With no equipment, no hospital setting, and thousands of feet above the ground, he was the only hope for a woman who had collapsed and was rapidly slipping into danger.
That single moment of decision, fuelled by instinct and training, would not only save a life but also propel him into history as the first Indian and the first foreign national of any kind to be awarded Uzbekistan’s rare and prestigious “Hero of the Country” honour.
The incident occurred on July 28 this year, where a 48-year-old woman collapsed mid-air. “When I checked her vital signs, I found that her heart rate had shot up, a clear case of tachycardia,” Dr Anees recalled.
“I began carotid sinus massage immediately, and within 10-15 seconds, she started stabilising. We monitored her closely until landing and handed her over to doctors in Delhi.”
At an official ceremony in Uzbekistan on December 4, Dr Anees stood humbly as he received the national award.
“I don’t take this honour for myself. This award belongs to my family, friends, supporters, my university, my rector, dean and vice dean, everyone who guided me. Thank God for this blessing,” he said.