On June 10, Madhu fell sick and visited a local doctor who referred her to GMERS, Gotri. Madhu remained under treatment for over a week. (Representational)

Mayur Vankar, 13, sits near the door of his one-room house in Savayanagar in Gotri, staring into oblivion, covering his face with a stained beige cotton mask that his mother had sewed by her hand. It is among the last few things she did for him and his 16-year-old brother Akash, before she succumbed to Covid-19.

In a gap of six months, the brothers have lost both their parents –their father died of cancer in February this year.

Madhu Vankar, 38, died on Sunday in Vadodara while undergoing treatment for Covid-19. Her death comes as a shock to the brothers, who lost their father, Virji Vankar to cancer. “Our father was a daily wage labourer. He was a hardworking man. We had a very normal life until my father was diagnosed with cancer around Diwali last year and within a few months his condition had deteriorated and he passed away in February. Our mother took the responsibility of taking care of us and began working as domestic help in residential societies around but soon the lockdown was imposed,” says Akash.

On June 10, Madhu fell sick and visited a local doctor who referred her to GMERS, Gotri. Madhu remained under treatment for over a week.

Akash says, “Last week, she told us over the phone that her health was worsening. We were helpless and we did not know what to do. We have only been hearing that this disease is a killer. Now we have seen how ruthless it is.”

BJP Corporator from the ward Nitin Doga, who has been in touch with the boys since their mother tested positive, said that Madhu had acquired a new job of washing clothes at a private hospital in the vicinity, which is also treating Covid-19 patients. “We feel she may have contracted the virus from the hospital. It had only been a month since she got employed there to wash clothes of patients admitted in the ward,” Doga said.

Doga has now decided to take care of their financial needs for the next year. Doga, on Monday, handed over post-dated cheques to Akash for their monthly expenditure. Madhu’s death will also be part of the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) audit of Covid-19 deaths to ascertain if she died due to the virus or any other comorbidity.

“I have given them post-dated cheques of Rs 8,000 per month for one year. I did not want to give them a lump sum of Rs 1 lakh as they are minors and would not know how to judiciously use that money. There was also the likelihood of someone luring them into parting with the money. So, each month, they can withdraw the amount and use it as they need. I have instructed the bank authorities to confirm their identities and also verify the same with me,” Doga said.

Akash appeared for his Class X board exams in March but could not clear some of the subjects. “I will reappear for the exams next year and thereafter pursue vocational training in the ITI College. I was planning to do so to help my mother in running the house. My brother is very young and so I have to take his responsibility now,” Akash says.

Their paternal uncle and maternal aunt also live in the same locality. However, his paternal uncle is also in an advanced stage of cancer and the aunt is a widow.

“Although the family will be there for moral support, the financial needs of the two boys is a concern. The two extended families do not have sufficient means to fend for themselves. So, with the financial part taken care of, we can hope that the boys will be able to gather the courage and move on,” Doga said.