SABAHMUSWANG, May 17: In a heartwarming turn of event, the Sabahmuswang Halfway Home has successfully reunited one of its patients, Jiratan Bibi, with her family, three years after her disappearance.
58-year-old Bibi, who received care at the Halfway Home for the past nine months, was joyfully reunited with her family during an emotional ceremony at the Halfway Home.
Present at the ceremony were Additional Deputy Commissioner DV Lyngdoh; District Social Welfare Officer, Jowai, R Passah; Secretary of S.U.R.E. Dr. HH Mohrmen; Project Coordinator Niwanka Shylla, and all the staff of the Halfway Home.
Passah, during the ceremony, stated that the objective of the Halfway Home is to reunite its patients with their families.
Lyngdoh, on the other hand, expressed happiness, stating this was the first case in Meghalaya where a patient has been restored to her family after rehabilitation at the Halfway Home.
She also expressed happiness that the Jowai Halfway Home was able to locate Bibi’s family and facilitate her reunion with them.
It may be mentioned that Bibi was admitted to MIMHANS on June 7, 2022, following police intervention and a reception order from Ri-Bhoi Additional District Magistrate. She was discovered loitering in the Byrnihat area of Ri-Bhoi due to mental instability and was referred to MIMHANS for comprehensive treatment. After her stay at MIMHANS, she was transferred to the Sabahmuswang Halfway Home on August 11, 2023.
It was during attempts to enroll her for Aadhaar registration that it was discovered she was already enrolled in the same. Her biometrics matched with another person already enrolled in Assam. It was then learned that her real identity is Jiratan Bibi, daughter of Jadab Ali.
Her family contact number was subsequently obtained from the system, and the information was shared with the District Task Force.
It was then on May 15, 2024, Project Coordinator of the Halfway Home in Jowai, Niwanka Shylla, contacted a colleague from Assam Don Bosco University to discuss Bibi’s case, hoping to find a rehabilitation centre where she could be transferred.
After their discussion, Shylla shared Bibi’s details, and, using the mobile number on her Aadhaar, the friend contacted the patient’s family.
Upon speaking with them, the family confirmed their relationship with her and requested her picture.
After receiving and reviewing her picture, they enquired why she looked so different. To confirm her identity, they contacted the Project Coordinator of the Halfway Home and requested to speak with the patient directly.
Following the conversation between Bibi’s family member and the project coordinator, the latter then handed over the mobile phone to the patient. Once they confirmed her identity through direct conversation, emotions ran high on both sides.
The staff of the Halfway Home witnessed the emotional exchange, reporting tears of joy from both Bibi and her family upon learning of her survival.
After speaking with Bibi, her family expressed their desire to take her back, sharing their joy at her return.
Her family expressed their gratitude to the staff at the Halfway Home, with Bahar Ali, her son, saying, “We are overwhelmed with joy and relief to have our mother back home.”
Meanwhile, HH Mohrmen of SURE said, “We are glad that this one case ends on a happy note as we are able to reunite the patient with her loved ones.”
