When the Corona cases started rising, I felt a strong urge to help people in some way. That’s when I heard of this NGO called Help For Needy and started volunteering with them. The fact that the NGO was operating on ground zero is what appealed to me. In fact, our founder himself drives the ambulance because the regular ambulance agencies were fleecing people in this crisis.
It was in August that I decided to start driving an ambulance. Our founder had put up a Whatsapp message saying that he was travelling and had just received a message about some sick person desperately needing an ambulance. Hiring a driver meant additional expenditure, so he asked if anyone could drive the vehicle. I immediately responded saying I would do it. Later when I told my family, they were shocked because it meant direct contact with patients. As it is, I was already involved in cleaning the graveyard, cooking food for the needy, giving blankets and medicine to the homeless. But luckily my teenage kids, husband, in-laws, mother and sister supported my decision.
My job does have a lot of risks like this one time when I carried a 60- year old lady having severe chest pain. Her family told us that she did not have Covid, so we never wore our PPE kit. Three days later we came to know that she had tested positive. But these are small risks that we are all prepared for and must be available 24X7 as we might get an emergency call anytime.
One day I received an SOS from a colleague at 12:30 am. There was this pregnant woman who was refused admission by hospitals. I rushed to her place with another colleague and took her to another hospital. Though her RAT came negative she was refused admission stating that it was a risky pregnancy as her platelet count was low. Meanwhile, her water bag broke and had developed labour pain. We rushed to Yellur KLE where she was finally admitted around 2:30 am. After ensuring that she was in safe hands, we left. She delivered a healthy baby boy at 5 am. Through all this, I take all possible precaution, have vitamins and kaashyam and do regular tests. And when people compare me to a man, I completely dismiss it. Doing good does not depend on gender but on intent, right?
Madhuri Jadhav
