By Abdullah Jamili
I VISITED a friend a few years ago when he was in Onaizah General Hospital. While sitting next to him, I saw a visitor walking from one bed to another greeting all of the patients with a big smile on his face. He wished every patient a speedy recovery. I asked the nurses and was told that the man was a frequent visitor. He visited the hospital every Friday afternoon and had been doing this for years without missing a Friday. What he did was impressive. Even the nurses and doctors were amazed by the man’s generosity.
I remembered this when I read a news story about Zamzam Society for Health, Volunteering and Charitable Services, which is based in Makkah. The society said it is planning to visit 5,000 patients in Makkah this year. Last year, it visited 2,535 patients and gave them simple gifts to give them hope and happiness.
I would like to thank the society for this beautiful gesture, which helps boost the morale of patients and speeds up their recovery. It also promotes the important values of social solidary and love for one another. The Ministry of Health is doing a great job by facilitating and encouraging such activities in the best interests of society.
I encourage everyone to go and visit patients in the hospital and take small gifts to them every now and then. Trust me, there are patients lying in hospital who do not have relatives or friends with no one visiting them. There are some who have been hospitalized for weeks or months because of their medical condition. These people need us. We should give them hope. After all, it is one of our duties through which we can send a message of peace and care to all patients.
