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Home > Mumbai > Mumbai News > Article > After discharge from hospital woman heads straight to poll booth

After discharge from hospital, woman heads straight to poll booth

Updated on: 22 October,2019 07:24 AM IST  |  Mumbai
Samiullah Khan | samiullah.khan@mid-day.com

Hetvi Khokhani, an architectural designer who stays with her parents at Samatanagar in Vasai (west), was admitted to the Lilavati hospital on October 11 as she was suffering from UTI

After discharge from hospital, woman heads straight to poll booth

Hetvi Khokhani proudly shows her inked finger as well as her other hand with the apparatus for an IV drip stuck to it. Pic/Hanif Patel

So determined was a 25-year-old woman to vote, that she convinced her doctor to discharge her early from hospital, where she was admitted for a serious urinary tract infection (UTI). Her doctor asked her to take proper bed rest for a quick recovery, but the woman went first to the polling centre to cast her vote.


Hetvi Khokhani, an architectural designer who stays with her parents at Samatanagar in Vasai (west), was admitted to the Lilavati hospital on October 11 as she was suffering from UTI. Her condition was so bad that she was admitted to the ICU for five days. She was shifted to a general room when she started recovering. But on Sunday, she requested doctors to discharge her so she could cast her vote.


Speaking to mid-day, Hetvi's father Bipin said, "Hetvi was discharged at around 11 am on Monday but instead of going home, she reached the polling centre situated in the Vartak College where she cast her vote. By doing this she wanted to give a message to people, that voting is our right and everyone should vote for their right," said Bipin. Alongwith Hetvi, her parents and grandparents also cast their votes.


Khairunissa Shaikh (right)
Khairunissa Shaikh (right)

Hospital ferries patients to polling centres in ambulance

Seeing the enthusiasm of patients to vote, the Care Hospital in Malwani, arranged an ambulance to take two of them to their polling stations on polling day. "A patient should not feel sorry that he wanted to vote, but could not because of illness. So I told patients if they wanted to vote, the hospital could arrange an ambulance, and bring them back from polling centres, with doctors. Three patients said they would like to vote," said Dr Sabahuddin Shaikh from Care hospital. He added, "Khairunnisa Wahab Shaikh, 84, was admitted for kidney disease. Naushad Shaikh, 60, was operated on recently. Naim Shaikh, 50, is being treated for typhoid. Khairunnisa and Naushad were taken to their polling stations in an ambulance, and Naim's relative took him to the polling centre."

Diego Barraetto with daughter Diandra
Diego Barraetto with daughter Diandra

Voting in sickness and good health

Setting a good example for his daughter, 53-year-old Diego Barraetto came out to vote with Diandra, 20, who voted for the first time this year at St Charles High School in Vakola. However, Barraetto is still recovering from a surgery. "I had a kidney surgery. I wore a mask to ensure that I didn't catch an infection. I always come out to vote," he said. Diandra wanted to make an informed choice and she had a discussion with her parents before casting her vote.

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