Working in place of his father in the pandemic, Shabir Ahmed, 24, says he has done 60-70 cremations in the last nine months.
Some of the Covid victims were also security personnel, mostly CRPF constables, who hailed from other parts of the country. (Representational Photo | PTI)
Srinagar :
A ‘chowkidar’ of a cremation ground in Srinagar is going beyond his brief to help grieving non-Muslim families in completing the final rituals of their beloved ones who succumbed to Covid-19.
Working in place of his father in the pandemic, Shabir Ahmed, 24, says he has done 60-70 cremations in the last nine months.
“I have been working at my father’s place and my job is 24×7. My job is to keep watch of the cremation ground,” said Ahmed.
“Some of the bodies were of non-locals, who had no family members in the Valley and were brought by the police.”
Some of the Covid victims were also security personnel, mostly CRPF constables, who hailed from other parts of the country.
“The government is making arrangements to bring family members of such victims to Srinagar for attending their last rites.”
There are two more staff both pujaris (priests) in the cremation ground at the cremation ground managed by Sanathan Dharam Trust in Srinagar’s Batamaloo area.
“I make arrangements of firewood and other items. I am doing it on humanitarian grounds as we need to be with each other in this testing time when Covid is snatching our loved ones,” said Ahmed who is yet to get PPE kits. Asked whether there was opposition from his family, Ahmed said, “No. In fact, many families praise my services and tell me that ‘I am doing punya ka kaam’ (charity work).”
“As doctors and frontline health workers have been working round the clock since last year to save precious lives, I am doing my bit in fighting the coronavirus with my efforts,” he added.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Nation / by Fayaz Wani, Express News Service / June 07th, 2021
Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) has seen unprecedented number of cases and deaths during the second wave of Coronavirus pandemic
Bareilly , UTTAR PRADESH / Jubail, SAUDI ARABIA :
Rehan Alam Siddiqui
Aligarh:
At a time when universities across the country are been adversely affected by the pandemic, Rehan Alam Siddiqui, a Non Resident Indian (NRI) based in Jubail, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) has donated Rs 15 lakhs to Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) to set up an oxygen generation plant at its Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College (JNMC).
Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) has seen unprecedented number of cases and deaths during the second wave of Coronavirus pandemic which is yet to be brought under control.
As per the last update , as many as 18 working faculties besides a number of other retired professors and serving employees have become victim of the deadly virus so far.
“Alarming death toll”
The alarming death toll has sent shock-waves leading to apprehensions that a deadlier ‘AMU strain’ of the virus is wreaking havoc. It was also reported that for the first time in the history of the university, the AMU cemetry is running short of space and old graves are now being dug up to bury the dead.
Against this backdrop the university had issued appealed to the government and other public and private organisations and individuals for help and support.
True well wisher of AMU”
Rehan Siddiqui obliged and donated the huge sum to his alma mater. Extending gratitude on the largesse, AMU Vice Chancellor, Prof Tariq Mansoor said:
“Mr Rehan is a true well wisher of the university, whose donation will be very beneficial to upgrade the existing health infrastructure for an effective Covid Response”.
“We at AMU are making all possible efforts to contain the spread of this pandemic and Mr Siddiqui’s donation will go a long way in serving the sick and the distraught with the lifesaving oxygen supply”, he added.
Born and brought up in a middle-class family in Bareilly (UP), Rehan Siddiqui has emerged as one of the fastest growing businessmen and industrialists in the Eastern Region of KSA.
Rehan Siddiqui is promoting better relations of the Indian community with the Indian consulate in KSA. He also organises cultural and academic programmes.
“Rs 3L donation by TSA”
In another development, members of the Technical Staff Association (TSA), Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) donated Rs 3 lakhs to facilitate Medical Attendance Scheme (MAS) to purchase equipments to be used for the treatment of registered employees and to strengthen the MAS Covid Response team.
The cheque was handed over to the university officials after the TSA members, Faisal Rais (TSA President), Abid Ali Zaidi (TSA Secretary General) and Kamran Husain (TSA Treasurer) met the Vice Chancellor, Prof Tariq Mansoor and Registrar, Mr Abdul Hamid (IPS).
source: http://www.ummid.com / Ummid.com / Home> India / by ummid.com News Network / May 31st, 2021
Thaikkadappuram (Neeleswaram Municipality), KERALA :
Madrassa and the Thaikadappuram Jama-ath Mosque. Photo by R Ayyappan
Since early March, when the vaccination drive began, municipality and health authorities were worried about the crowd in front of Thaikkadappuram Family Health Centre (FHC) along the coast in Kasaragod’s Neeleswaram Municipality. More than 350 people, most of them over 60 years of age and years of age and with comorbidities, came for vaccination daily to the Centre that was only recently elevated to a FHC.
But at that point, when Kerala was gearing up for an intense election campaign, there was a general impression that COVID-19 was on the wane. It was easy to brush aside worries.
However, when the second surge began in the middle of April, old worries returned. When the rains intensified by the second week of May, more space became a necessity.
“Along with those coming for vaccination, there were the regular patients. When it is windy and raining, which was almost always during the last fortnight, we could not let them stand outside. But it was also not right to let these two groups mingle,” said Dr Sarada, the FHC’s medical officer. Most were poor folk from the fishermen community.
Interiors of the madrassa being rearranged for the vaccination drive. Photo from R Ayyappan
Social distancing paradise
She asked the municipality for a place nearby to carry out the vaccination drive so that social distancing could be adhered to effectively. Many places, including an aided school, were identified. But all were slightly distant. “We wanted a place nearer,” Dr Sarada said.
It was then that the Muslim League’s Thaikadappuram Sea Road ward councillor Anwar Sadique suggested a madrassa nearby: Thaikadappuram Jama-ath Nusrath Madrasa of the Thaikkadappuram Jama-Ath Mosque. It is a large two-storeyed structure near a newly constructed beige-coloured mosque with pastel green domes.
Anwar talked to Neeleswaram Municipality chairperson T V Santha and vice-chairman P P Muhammed Rafi, both from the CPM. All three agreed the Nusrath Madrassa, run by the Thaikadappuram Jama-ath Committee, was the right place. It was near and spacious. Importantly, the Jama-ath members were were progressive.
Secular abode
“Last year, they had willingly agreed to convert the ‘madrassa’ into a quarantine centre for migrant labourers and those returning from the Gulf,” Anwar Sadique said. “We did not use it as the need did not arise then,” he said.
This time when they asked, the Jama-ath committee was more than willing. “We did not think twice when the health and municipality officials came to us with the request,” Jama-ath secretary A Mohammed Shafi, a retired postmaster, said. “The children were not coming anyway, of COVID. But even if there were classes, we had more than enough space in the building to accommodate the children,” Shafi said.
The Jama-ath has now left the entire ground floor, over 2000 sq ft, for the vaccination drive. “It is a large space of five classrooms and we have asked them to use all our facilities,” Shafi said. Dr Sarada said that the madrassa had enough room and chairs for people to be seated at a safe distance from each other. “It has a drinking water facility and also parking space,” she said.
The madrassa is also just a five-minute walk from the FHC, diagonally across the road from it. “It is easy to carry supplies from the FHC to the madrassa,” Dr Sarada said.
Thaikadappuram Jama-ath Nusrath Madrassa. Photo from R Ayyappan
Melting pot of faiths
The Jama-ath is particular that its gesture should not be seen as some kind of a favour. “We have told Jama-ath members not to exhibit any behaviour that could even remotely be considered as patronising or dominating. People from all faiths come for vaccination and we want all of them to feel at home here,” secretary Shafi said. “Moreover, there is nothing more holy than this. It is our duty. It does not cost us any money either,” he said.
The Jama-ath members were also not comfortable with a public function to mark the handing over of the ‘madrassa’ for the vaccination drive. “We didn’t want such a function but the municipality authorities lovingly insisted,” Shafi said. A small function, with municipal councillors and health workers in attendance, was held on May 25.
The Nusrath Madrassa will be used for the first time on May 29, when the FHC has scheduled 300 shots. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, during his customary sunset briefing on May 27, spoke of the Thaikadappuram model as an example of religious generosity.
source: http://www.onmanorama.com / OnManorama / Home> News> Kerala / by Ayyappan R / May 28th, 2021
As many as six graduates have volunteered to work with the MHV, attending calls and assisting the needy.
Vijayapura (Bijapur), KARNATAKA :
For representational purposes
Vijayapura :
A 33-year-old techie from Vijayapura has set up a 24X7 helpline to assist Covid-19 patients in finding beds, oxygen cylinders and medicines. Zahoor Kazi, who works as a software engineer at a private firm in Bengaluru, started ‘Mercy Helpline Vijayapura’ (MHV) on May 14 in collaboration with doctors, activists and other software engineers.
As many as 10 doctors, settled abroad (the USA, the UK and the Middle East) and in the state, have agreed to provide free tele-consultation to the patients, mainly for those in home isolation.As many as six graduates have volunteered to work with the MHV, attending calls and assisting the needy. The team has set up a helpline number — 7848025025.
The MHV works round-the-clock and, on an average, receives 30 calls each day from Vijayapura, Bagalkot and Belagavi. It also collaborates with at least five NGOs that help people by supporting them financially in paying hospital bills, supplying grocery kits, cremating unclaimed bodies of Covid victims and other help related to Covid and black fungus.
Speaking to TNIE, Zahroor Kazi, said, “Our main objective is to help the needy in such tough times. We are working in coordination with district officials. We are also creating awareness on Covid-19.” The MHV has so far helped at least 15 patients in getting oxygen beds and about 10 people in getting ventilators. Also, 10 patients have availed the free tele-consultation services.
“Most people who call us are from urban areas. We want to reach out to those in villages too as they have limited knowledge of the disease. Now, frequency of calls to MHV has reduced owing to a dip in cases,” Kazi added.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Karnataka / by Mahesh M Goudar / Express News Service / May 29th, 2021
The 41-year-old, Akhbar Ali, distributes them from the very cart on which he sells vegetables from early morning to 10 am daily.
Bagaha (West Champaran District) , BIHAR :
41-year-old, Bihar vegetable hawker, Akhbar Ali, istributes facemasks and hand sanitizers for free among the poor people and labourers (Photo | EPS)
Patna :
A vegetable hawker now turned humanity-server now distributes facemasks and hand sanitizers for free among the poor people and labourers at Bagaha, in Bihar’s West Champaran district.
He was moved from within at the sight of a poor man picking up a used face mask that was dumped at a roadside.
The 41-year-old, Akhbar Ali, distributes them from the very cart on which he sells vegetables from early morning to 10 am daily.
“I called that man and asked why he had been picking up the mask. He told me for wearing on his face as he wanted to live in this world safely from Corona. And his this line moved me so much that I decided to distribute free masks and sanitizer from my cart among the poor people and labourers”, Ali said. The next day he went to the market, bought facemasks and hand sanitizers and started roaming with the items on his hand-pulled cart across the market.
“I used to go where the migrant labourers came to work and the poor people lived in the town daily after 11 am to evening. Wherever I see the poor people without facemasks, I offer them free of cost and advise them to wear it for safety:” he said.
He sells masks and other Corona safety-related items to people who can afford to pay for them but gives them away for free to poor people and labourers.
He said that 50% of the total income he earns from vending vegetables is utilised for purchasing masks and sanitizers for poor people. Ali is simply only able to write and read his name but he said: “In the earning a human-being, both the country and the poor people have equal natural share and one must dedicate the share of ‘watan’ and ‘garib’ as an act of prayer to Allah”, he said.
He has Hindi signs on display at his cart. One saying “Yahan free masks garibo aur majduro ko milta hai’ (“Here mask free of cost is given to poor and the labourers”) and some others with messages in Hindi asking people to maintain social distancing.
“From vegetable hawker to humanity server, Ali has become here a name among the destitute and poor people, who seek face masks from him free”, Munna Kumar, a labourer, who was given a pair mask recently said.
Ali estimates that till date more than 10,000 masks and sanitizers from his earning have been distributed among the poor people and the labourers at Bagaha.
“Now, I sell vegetables till 10 am and thereafter go out with cart carrying masks and sanitizers to the poor people in the town”, he said.
“Wherever I saw a poor man even on a bus without mask, I run towards him with a mask to give. I will keep serving the poor people-‘garib’ (poor) and “majduro” (labourers) till the corona continues”, he said.
He has been doing it silently with a line of Mahatma Gandhi “the greatness of humanity is not being human but is being humane’
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Nation / by Rajesh Kumar Thakur, Express News Service / May 29th, 2021
Milan Rafiq, who runs an old furniture shop in Hiriyur town, is not allowed to park his Maruti Omni in front of his house, and neither do his neighbours visit him.
Milan Rafiq (inset) and the vehicle he uses to ferry bodies of Covid victims
Chitradurga :
Milan Rafiq, who runs an old furniture shop in Hiriyur town, is not allowed to park his Maruti Omni in front of his house, and neither do his neighbours visit him.
For he has converted his Omni into a hearse, and ferries bodies of Covid patients to graveyards and crematoriums. He also completes the last rites, and has cremated and buried more than 200 bodies, of which around 80 were of Covid patients. His aim is to give people a final dignified departure, surprising at a time when friends and families are known to abandon both the living and dead.
“Covid has killed humanity. People are not ready to take care of their near and dear ones, including ailing parents on their deathbeds,” said Rafiq. He saw disowned bodies lying in the mortuary of Hiriyur Taluk Hospital, and it disturbed him so much that he decided to take on the last duties himself, irrespective of caste, creed and religion. He doesn’t charge any money, only accepting whatever is given to him, which he uses for the next burial or cremation.
“Before taking the body, I ask the family to get the grave dug, so we can bury the body and close the grave. On an average, I cremate two bodies every day. On Sunday, I cremated four bodies in Chitradurga and Hiriyur,” Rafiq told The New Indian Express.
His has carried out cremations in Chitradurga, Bengaluru and Kolar districts, ferrying bodies from Bengaluru to Kolar, and Madhugiri in Tumakuru. At a time when ambulances charge exorbitant rates, Rafiq just asks where the body should be ferried and sets out in his Omni. The cost of petrol and repairs is met by his group of friends, standing solidly behind him ever since he took up these humanitarian duties.
“I am also using my fixed deposit, I cannot ask families for money when they are in pain. It would be a sin,” he said.
Rafiq’s wife Shahtaj Begum, son Mohammed Zubair and son-in-law Mohammed Ali support him and even help him with the last rites. They wear masks and PPE kits, and sanitise the Omni after work is done. He cites a recent ordeal where there was no one to give them even a glass of water.
“My son, son-in-law, and I conducted the last rites and drank water only after returning to Hiriyur,” he said. Rafiq freely gives his number — 7259859407 — for anytime, anywhere burials and cremations.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Good News / by G Subhash Chandra, Express News Service / May 25th, 2021
The first plant is expected to be up and running in Hyderabad next month,” Prof Amirullah Khan, coordinator of Sahayata Trust informed. — IANS
The NGO is also receiving 400 high quality oxygen concentrators from different charities in the United Kingdom and the United States which is described as the world’s largest donation of oxygen concentrators.
Hyderabad :
Sahayata Trust, a Hyderabad-based NGO, plans to set up four medical oxygen generation plants to cater to the requirements of hospitals treating Covid patients.
Each plant will have a capacity of 4,500 litres per day and will come up at a cost of Rs 1 crore each. Two plants will come up in Hyderabad and one in Gujarat. The NGO is yet to decide on the location for the fourth plant.
“The first plant is expected to be up and running in Hyderabad next month,” Prof Amirullah Khan, coordinator of Sahayata Trust, told IANS on Monday.
The development economist said the NGO would be importing the plants. He said these plants would meet the requirements of various hospitals treating Covid or other critically ill patients.
He pointed out that the NGO is also receiving 400 high quality oxygen concentrators from different charities in the United Kingdom and the United States. He described it as the world’s largest donation of oxygen concentrators.
The devices will be allocated on a per-need basis to different NGOs across Hyderabad, Lucknow, Allahabad, Delhi, Ranchi, Bhopal and other cities. — IANS
The first consignment comprising 170 devices arrived in Hyderabad from the UK by a special flight of Qatar Airways on Friday. The second consignment of 270 concentrators is scheduled to arrive next week.
Sahayata Trust has started distributing concentrators to different healthcare organisations in Telangana and other states. “The relief effort will add oxygen to the efforts of NGOs scrambling to procure oxygen to save as many lives as they can,” said Sahayata Trust CEO Syed Aneesuddin.
The devices will be allocated on a per-need basis to different NGOs across Hyderabad, Lucknow, Allahabad, Delhi, Ranchi, Bhopal and other cities. The organisation included Access Foundation, Safa Baitul Maal and SDIF.
Different NGOS across international borders have joined hands for the noble cause at a time when several lives are being lost across India due to shortage of oxygen cylinders and oxygen concentrators during the second wave of Covid-19.
Donation of concentrators is a meticulously coordinated relief effort by UK-based charities managed by the Indian diaspora including Maahir Charity, Deccan Medical College Alumni Association, and Medical Aid in coordination with the US-based Indian Muslim Relief & Charities (IMRC), the parent body of Sahayata Trust.
Syed Aneesuddin thanked Hyderabad Member of Parliament Asaduddin Owaisi who played an important role in helping the consignment reach India within a short span of time.
“These are high quality oxygen concentrators with dual outflow of oxygen enabling two patients to use the same machine at a time. We are training people to use the device using the device manuals received from England. This is a daunting task to coordinate the allocation as well as train and equip the personnel to handle the device in a very short time, especially since every passing minute increases danger of loss of life for people struggling to find oxygen support,” said Amirullah Khan.
India needs about one lakh oxygen concentrators. “The government has been able to import only 1000 from the USA, which means there is a deficit of 99%. In such savaging times, the import of 400 units is a small but significant effort in saving more lives”, said former civil servant Prof Amirullah Khan.
He thanked the state and central governments for waiving the import duty on the equipment. He also thanked Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar for taking up the matter on an urgent basis and Commissioner Commercial Taxes Neetu Prasad who went out of the way working late at night to grant ‘real-time approval’. Due to her personal interest in expediting the process, the consignment was ready for pickup within three hours after arrival. — IANS
source: http://www.clarionindia.net / Clarion India / Home> Editor’s Pick> India / by IANS / May 24th, 2021
The patient in distress had got a bed at CG Hospital, but there was no oxygen, and the family was asked to source a cylinder.
Davengere, KARNATAKA :
Habeebunissa en route to deliver an oxygen cylinder to the needy | Express
Davangere :
Habeebunissa may be just 19, with limited resources, but has displayed grit and initiative.
As Davanagere locked itself in to stave off the Covid second wave, this young woman ventured out to help the needy.
The international volleyball player has been winning hearts, especially after a video of her carrying an oxygen cylinder on her brother’s bike went viral last week.
The patient in distress had got a bed at CG Hospital, but there was no oxygen, and the family was asked to source a cylinder. She swung into action, collected the cylinder and rushed to hospital. She is glad that the patient survived. She went on to arrange four more cylinders.
The daughter of an autorickshaw driver, Mohammed Jabir, Habeebunissa has been active on many fronts — distributing masks, arranging for oxygen and blood, and even cooking food for stranded nomadic families. She and her mother used the PDS grains that her family gets to cook the meals.
“It is our duty to save humanity from the clutches of the Covid-19. The Youth Congress is funding my initiative to provide cylinders and other social work, with some contribution from my father,” she said.
As vice-president of the Youth Congress Davanagere unit, she has also motivated many girls to take up sports and develop leadership skills.
She is doing her final year ITI (electrical) at Millat College in Davanagere and is an ace volleyball player.
Her father Jabir, who earns Rs 800 per day, and almost nothing since the lockdown kicked in, says he is happy that his daughter is using whatever he gives her to help society.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Good News / by G Subhash Chandra, Express News Service / May 22nd, 2021
Former Chief Minister of Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis visited the Dedicated Covid Health Center and commended the people associated with it.
The successful experience has encouraged the organisers to plan a full-fledged hospital after the pandemic is over.
New Delhi :
A Dedicated Covid Health Center being run by Jamaat-e-Islami Hind in Maharashtra’s Nagpur city for the last 50 days has treated up to 500 patients, say the organisers of the Centre. The 78-bed Centre or hospital is today a boon not only for the people of the city but the entire Vidarbha region as well as neighbouring Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh as Nagpur shares borders with the two states and serves as regional hub of medical services.
When this hospital was launched on April 1, Maharashtra was reeling under the second wave of coronavirus pandemic. Nagpur was the worst-hit in the state. Every day 8,000 new positive cases were being reported here while the health services had totally collapsed. The hospital came as a big relief as it started offering free service with dedicated staff and volunteers.
The hospital is run from a building owned by the NMC. “The building was lying unused. The NMC wanted to launch a Covid hospital but they were unable to do it. We offered our services, to which they agreed. So it’s a joint venture of the Jamaat as well as NMC. MSF, or Medical Service Society, an NGO run by the Jamaat, is the third partner,” Dr. Anwar Siddiqui told Clarion India over the phone from Nagpur. Siddiqui is in-charge of the hospital and heads the Jamaat-e-Islami in Nagpur.
The hospital was launched on April 1.
The Jamaat is bearing all the cost of running the hospital. The NMC has provided just three doctors. Rest of the 14 doctors and a host of nurses and other staff have been arranged by the Jamaat. According to Siddiqui, four doctors, including himself, are giving free service while the rest of the doctors and workers have been hired.
The hospital has been receiving mostly chronic cases. It’s notable that during the last 50 days just eight patients have died here. Rest of the patients have been discharged after treatment. “Our recovery rate is best among all the Covid centres of NMC. The Commissioner of Nagpur appreciated us saying that even after observing Ramzan fast you people are giving your services so diligently,” Siddiqui said.
The commissioner is not alone in acknowledging the dedication of people running the facility. Former Chief Minister of Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis was among a host of dignitaries who visited the hospital and commended the people associated with it. He said in a tweet, “Today our society needs such people and organisations who understand the pain and grief of people and who try to overcome their problems. We are glad to know that the Jamaat has come forward for this work and is trying to help out during this huge pandemic”.
Other notable dignitaries who have visited the hospital are state’s health minister Rajesh Tope, state unit president of Congress Party Nana Patole, Mayor of NMC Dayashankar Tiwari and local MLA.
The 78-bed Centre or hospital is today a boon not only for the people of the city but the entire Vidarbha region as well as neighbouring Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh.
Initiatives like this are a sending positive message about the Muslim community which of late has been at the receiving end given the communally surcharged atmosphere created by vested interests. National media, especially Hindi newspapers and TV channels, have given good coverage to the hospital.
Siddiqui said the hospital has drawn the attention of one and all. “A number of individuals and voluntary organisations run by non-Muslims are coming to us with donations and items like face masks, sanitisers and oxygen cylinders.”
The management committee of Nagpur’s Jama Masjid has declared that the weekly Friday collections at the mosque will be sent to the hospital as long as this facility continues.
The hospital has been launched with three months’ planning. That means it will run until the end of June. Siddiqui said his team is ready to extend it for three more months if need arises. Health experts are warning that a third wave of Covid is imminent. However, right now new cases are coming down. For the last five to six days, the hospital is receiving less number of patients. “For the first 45 days all the 78 beds were fully occupied. Now our occupancy is between 60 and 65,” he said.
While hospitals and clinics elsewhere faced shortage of oxygen cylinders, the Jamaat faced no such crisis. “We had bought 100 cylinders soon after the first wave. We were already refilling and supplying them to needy patients. Therefore, supply of oxygen to our hospital has never been an issue” he said.
The experience of running this temporary facility has made the organisers realize the need to have a regular hospital. “Once the Covid pandemic is over we will start working on a full-fledged hospital. Our community especially needs it direly,” Siddiqui said.
source: http://www.clarionindia.net / Clarion India / Home> Big Story / by Shaheen Nazar, Clarion India / May 21st, 2021
‘We got so many calls after the attack.’ ‘Loved ones told us forget all this, nothing was more valuable than our lives.’ ‘But we said, ‘No, this wasn’t the way forward — the people, society, the country needs us at this time.’ Dr Trupti Katdare and Dr Zakia Syed tell Archana Masih/Rediff.com their inspiring story.
Dr Trupti Katdare, left, with Dr Zakia Syed. All images: Kind courtesy Dr Zakia Syed and Dr Trupti Katdare
Dr Zakia Syed and Dr Trupti Katdare first met during their induction as young doctors nine years ago. The training for their appointments as doctors in the government-run public health centre in rural Madhya Pradesh lasted for a month, but they ended up with an everlasting friendship.
“We are besties till death,” says Dr Trupti, chief medical officer at the public health centre in Shipra near Indore, as she refers to Dr Zakia, who is in-charge of the primary health centre in Kampel, 40 kms away.
Dr Trupti Katdare and Dr Zakia Syed with other doctors and team members at the Shipra primary health centre.
For the past six weeks, the two doctor friends have been working together at the frontline of the battle against COVID-19 in Indore. They have left their families and moved into a hotel to protect their loved ones from the infection. Dr Trupti is especially concerned about her in-laws who have diabetes and asthma.
When she wanted to wish her husband on his birthday on April 29, they went to her home and wished him from outside.
Dr Zakia last saw her husband and children aged 5 and 9 two weeks ago. She stood outside the gate of her home and had a cup of tea as her son and daughter kept asking her, ‘Mama, when will you come home?’
Dr Zakia Syed with her daughter
Every morning, the two friends accompanied by paramedics and government staff, set out, criss-crossing the lanes and by-lanes of a large area which falls under three police stations. They deal with positive cases, identify contacts, treat symptomatic cases, get samples collected, send high-risk individuals to quarantine centres and positive patients to a treatment facility.
They have identified 160 positive cases so far and screen around 200 people every day.
Last month, an incident they encountered became one of the triggers for a new law that will protect doctors from acts of violence
Dr Zakia Syed and Dr Trupti Katdare.
Doctors Zakia and Trupti were attacked by a mob while talking to the mother of a man who later tested positive. They were told that the man was not home. He was apprehended by the police two days later.
“We asked for his mobile number and said he should not be moving around in the first place,” remembers Dr Trupti.
This was the third consecutive day in that specific locality and they had never encountered any problem before.
The doctors with their team members.
” Suddenly there was a crowd screaming ‘maro maro‘ running towards us. They started throwing stones. The sub divisional magistrate quickly brought the car in front of us to shield us from the stones. I almost fell. Dr Zakia said she will confront and explain to them. I told her the hostile crowd was in no mood to see reason and pulled her into car. As we drove, the mob was running behind us, hurling stones,” remembers Dr Trupti, over the phone at the end of a 10-hour shift.
“It was very scary.”
“We sustained some blunt injuries where the stones struck us. We were shocked. Shaken,” adds Dr Zakia, the first one in her family to become a doctor, fulfilling the dream of her father who worked in the quality control department at the National Textile Corporation before it shut down. At one time, Indore was known for its three big textile mills.
The doctors filed an FIR. Thirteen people were arrested and the National Security Act was invoked against four. The news of the attack was quickly picked up by the media within hours.
Dr Trupti Katdare out in the field.
” Our worried husbands phoned us, we got so many calls. Loved ones told us forget all this, nothing was more valuable than our lives. But we said, ‘No, this wasn’t the way forward — the people, society, the country needs us at this time,” says Dr Zakia, who wakes up at 4 am and has oats or rusk with a cup of tea as a pre-dawn meal during Ramzan.
In the evening, she breaks her fast with Dr Trupti and Dr Piyush, the third doctor in their COVID-19 response team.
They make tea in the electric kettle in the room and sit down together over tea and dry snacks.
“We said we will not surrender and went back to the same gali the next day after the attack. It was our duty, we could not leave those people until we had screened them and provided treatment,” says Dr Trupti, who attributes her commitment for public service to her father’s zeal for social work.
“They apologised and told us ‘Do not leave us. It will never happen again.’ Now the scenario has completely changed, they cooperate fully and willingly come to be screened and quarantined.”
“After the incident, if either of us had said we will not return, we may not have gone back. But we drew strength from each other and were both determined to finish what we had started,” says Dr Trupti and credits the health department heads, the district administration, family and friends for boosting their morale.
They later discovered that the attack was instigated by rumours and negative messages on social media.
Dealing with a new virus that spreads fast, the two main challenges have been to convince people that though extremely contagious, the disease is not as serious as perceived.
“80% don’t have any symptoms,” says Dr Zakia. Since they work in an area with low socio-economic indices, the second challenge is making people follow social distancing and hygiene.
“Since many are uneducated, it takes time to convince them. Also, it is not easy to make people leave their home and go to a quarantine centre for 14 days,” she explains.
The medical team conducts a survey for possible COVID-19 cases.
A few days ago, they had to screen a community of transgenders after one person tested positive. When the panic-stricken community refused to allow them entry, the doctors had to persuade them with tact, patience and kindness.
“We were able to convince them with our words and screened 50+. They were so happy with our services that they clapped, distributed sweets and sent us away with their blessings,” says Dr Zakia, giving a glimpse into the phenomenal work public health officials have been doing around the country during this emergency.
The doctors set out every morning in a car assigned to their team. In the early days, they would go without drinking water for six hours at a stretch because they would be nervous about removing their masks in an area with several positive cases, but not anymore.
“We have been in the field since March 28 and have travelled quite far in this fight against COVID-19. We are deep into it. Now that we have gained some experience, we try to protect ourselves the best we can,” says Dr Trupti.
The team at one of their consulting sessions.
They have established a protocol where they take a water break after four hours which is usually the time it takes to deal with screening, testing, contact tracing and shifting a suspected case to the hospital.
“In the summer, you sweat a lot inside the PPE kit. We try to cover the positive area in one stretch so that we can take the PPE off and eat lunch,” explains Dr Trupti.
“We don’t waste PPE because they are very precious. While screening other contacts, we use double masks, gloves and caps.”
There is no fixed time for lunch which they mostly eat inside the car.
Dr Zakia and Dr Trupti.
Observing roza has caused no problem on the field, says Dr Zakia. Roza strengthens your will power, it detoxifies both your body and soul. I haven’t felt weak and when you have your friend next to you, let me tell you, how can you feel weary?” she says with a ring in her voice that you can almost see her smile across the telephone line.
The doctors have planned a trip to Udaipur once the crisis is behind them.
They will continue their field duties throughout this month and are undaunted by the road ahead.
Dr Trupti in consultation with team members.
“Screening is crucial. It’s good that positive cases are being identified because then you can isolate, treat and prevent it from spreading,” points out Dr Trupti, who misses her primary healh centre and takes great pride that it has a 5-star ranking by UNICEF.
“I hope life returns to normal and I feel it will.”
While they battle on in the trenches, their homes are being held together by their husbands who have learnt how to cook and clean in their absence.
Dr Trupti visits her husband on his birthday on April 29.
“Papa has become both mummy and papa now,” says Dr Zakia.
“My husband keeps encouraging me. With the family by your side you can face any adverse situation,” adds Dr Trupti.
The doctors have 24 quarantine centres in their containment area and have provided their numbers to those under quarantine should they need any assistance.
When a set of people were leaving at the end of 14 days of quarantine, negative reports in hand, their team received a standing ovation.
“It gave us goose-bumps,” says Dr Trupti. “We’ve learnt never to give up. If soldiers can fight for the country, so can we.”
“Some people told us we are soldiers too,” says Dr Zakia, “In white uniforms.”
source: http://www.rediff.com / rediff.com / Home> News / by Archana Masih / May 02nd, 2020
