HYDERABAD: After several people complained of difficulty in transporting Covid bodies to graveyards, a group of 10 social activists got together to start an ambulance service solely for this purpose.
The pilot ambulance service would help relatives transport victims first in the Cyberabad police commissionerate limits. Under the banner of ‘Serve the Needy’, the city residents bought a vehicle for Rs 70,000. They would hire two drivers and an attender, who will get a salary and health insurance.
Though as per protocol, a Covid-19 victim’s body would be handled by the government, including transporting and performing the last rites. However, private hospitals were ignoring the protocol and releasing bodies to the families of the victims.
Surendra Uplanchiwar, a member of the team, said: “We came to know that ambulance services are charging between Rs 25,000 and Rs 50,000 to transport a Covid-19 body for the last rites. We decided to start this facility free of cost. This will help lessen the burden of family members who are already in such distress.”
Sai Teja, an activist and part of the group Serve the Needy, said, “We purchased a second-hand Maruti Omni online and made some modifications which cost an additional Rs 20,000. In the vehicle, we created a body chamber so that the driver is safely separated from any possible infection.” Sai said they would expand to other areas depending on the demand for the service.
The group decided to start the service after a fellow volunteer, Ramanjeet Singh, faced a tough time getting an ambulance from a private hospital to cremate the body of a friend’s mother.
On Wednesday, Singh faced another uphill task: Finding an ambulance for a friend’s wife, who developed Covid-like symptoms. “She developed symptoms around 3am and we called several ambulance services and hospitals but in vain. It took us at least five hours to get her to a hospital using our own contacts.”
The pilot ambulance service would help relatives transport victims first in the Cyberabad police commissionerate limits. Under the banner of ‘Serve the Needy’, the city residents bought a vehicle for Rs 70,000. They would hire two drivers and an attender, who will get a salary and health insurance.
Though as per protocol, a Covid-19 victim’s body would be handled by the government, including transporting and performing the last rites. However, private hospitals were ignoring the protocol and releasing bodies to the families of the victims.
Surendra Uplanchiwar, a member of the team, said: “We came to know that ambulance services are charging between Rs 25,000 and Rs 50,000 to transport a Covid-19 body for the last rites. We decided to start this facility free of cost. This will help lessen the burden of family members who are already in such distress.”
Sai Teja, an activist and part of the group Serve the Needy, said, “We purchased a second-hand Maruti Omni online and made some modifications which cost an additional Rs 20,000. In the vehicle, we created a body chamber so that the driver is safely separated from any possible infection.” Sai said they would expand to other areas depending on the demand for the service.
The group decided to start the service after a fellow volunteer, Ramanjeet Singh, faced a tough time getting an ambulance from a private hospital to cremate the body of a friend’s mother.
On Wednesday, Singh faced another uphill task: Finding an ambulance for a friend’s wife, who developed Covid-like symptoms. “She developed symptoms around 3am and we called several ambulance services and hospitals but in vain. It took us at least five hours to get her to a hospital using our own contacts.”
Coronavirus outbreak
Trending Topics
LATEST VIDEOS
More from TOI
Navbharat Times
Featured Today in Travel
Get the app