No life, only deaths

Ambulance drivers have moved out of their homes to protect their families; they now drive, live and sleep in their vehicles

Ambulance drivers have been at the front and centre of the Covid-19 pandemic, picking up patients and dropping them to designated hospitals. But spare a thought to the people behind the wheel. What makes them take up this job when many qualified medical professionals are choosing not to work in hospitals? The short answer: a sense of responsibility towards his family.

Vimal (name changed), 30, a former auto and a part-time ambulance driver, joined a Covid ambulance services company after he did not have a steady job for the last four months. “When I joined on July 7th, the company informed us that they would give us rooms to stay but that has not happened yet.

They say it will take time. I have three young children under 10 years, and I don’t go home fearing they might get infected. After the shift, I give my ambulance for sanitisation at South End Circle and freshen up at the public bathrooms. When it’s done, I sleep inside the ambulance. Sometimes I finish very late and there is no restaurants open at that time of the night and I sleep hungry. It terrifies me to think what if I get infected. Then I console myself by saying I’m doing God’s work and saving lives.”

Vimal says that about 20 to 30 people have joined the ambulance services company in the last one week and none of them have been give the facilities they had been promised during their appointment.

Another ambulance driver from South End Circle, Prashanth (name changed) said, “I used to earn Rs 35,000 working for a private ambulance company. During the lockdown I lost my job. Now as an Covid ambulance driver, I earn Rs 17,000 a month, after a 12-hour shift.”


Ramesh (name changed), 40, another Covid ambulance driver who has been ferrying Covid patients since March said that the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has arranged rooms near Mantri Mall where he is staying along with other drivers. He said, “I have two children aged five and seven and it has been four months since I saw them. I speak to them on video calls every day. They give me the strength to continue the work I do.”

Drivers complain about the lack of PPE kits, and about the poor quality kits that are given to them. Besides this, the long wait at hospitals for patients to be allotted beds adds to the pressure, they say. “We sometimes drive around looking for beds. We spend nearly six hours in PPE kits, sometimes longer,” said a driver.

BBMP Commissioner BH Anil Kumar said that he had informed officials to make arrangements for food and rooms for Covid ambulance drivers. “I will check on this and make sure that the rooms are provided,” he said.