Ambulance drivers by putting their lives at risk saving lives of Covid patients.

SHYAM SOOD
Health Care Workers and doctors have been working tirelessly day and night to serve the Covid patients, but the Ambulance drivers are also playing a vital role not only in saving their lives but have also helping in providing dignified burial to Covid victims.
During the first and second wave of Covid-19 ambulance drivers, who are always on the move to attend medical emergencies are also at the forefront of the battle against the pandemic.
One such Ambulance driver Mohammad Sayeed shared the experience he had during the ragging second wave. The Ambulance has been provided by the BGBSU exclusively for Covid patients.
As the district facing a shortage of Ambulances and manpower, Sayeed had to work for prolonged shifts to reach out to the critical patients and shift them to the designated covid care hospitals.
The tough geographical condition of the district and motivating the family members for admitting the patients in the hospital makes the whole process more tedious.
“The rise in positive cases put the district administration and all others associated with Covid was management and treatment on the toes as the first and foremost priority was to facilitate the patients and the transportation of critical patients was the most important part of the duty”.
He added our contact numbers were with the 24X7 control room who contact us for ferrying those in distress.
“One day in the early morning hours a person contacted requesting the patient is serious. On reaching the destination I was surprised to see the Deputy Commissioner and a team of officers standing there, while the patient had already been shifted” said Sayeed.
“The Deputy Commissioner told me that I was late and advised me that the timing for an ambulance driver is most important as he has to shift the patients to the hospitals in the shortest possible time,” he said.
to date, Sayeed has ferried nearly 31 bodies and around 129 critical covid positive patients from different locations to the GMC Rajouri.
“I drove the ambulance during Ramadan while fasting and feel that the efforts I put in saving someone’s life or facilitating the family members of the deceased to give their loved one a dignified cremation or burial are the best charity I could have ever made during the holy month,” said Mohd Sayeed.
“When a person tests positive even his or her family members fear to go near the patient. Sometimes, if the patient is bedridden or not in a condition to move, we ourselves have to go inside the house and shift the patient to the ambulance,’’ he added
“Once I also helped a family in arranging the cremation pyre because the relatives were afraid of getting infected. A dead and unborn person has no religion,” said Sayeed.
He also recalled that even on the EID Day he lifted a critical positive patient from a remote village to GMC Rajouri for treatment, who is now in good health.