This summer, the 200-km-long drive between Rajamahendravaram and Visakhapatnam has not been a particularly pleasant one for 32-year-old Muddu Uday Bhaskar. The 108 ambulance pilot had to do it five times, only to save the lives of the people battling with COVID-19.
He carried five patients from the GSL Hospital to the State COVID hospital in Visakhapatnam after their health condition deteriorated.
“I have attended nearly 150 suspected cases in the district and four of them have tested positive for COVID-19. In some cases, I chose to interact with the patients to drive the fear out of them,” says Mr. Uday. He belongs to Tallarevu village near Yanam.
The Tallarevu service is among the five designated as ‘COVID Ambulance’ to attend suspected cases and patients in the district.
“The personal protective equipment kit remains the sole shield for me against coronavirus. Those in the next line of the battle, nurses and doctors, are my inspiration to keep playing my role as the ambulance pilot,” Mr. Uday tells The Hindu.
Family safety
“I cannot afford the risk of coming in contact with my family members, including my one-year-old son, at the end of the day. So, I am staying in a separate room where I get served food and other things, thus maintaining a complete physical distance from the family,” he explains. Mr. Uday, often, prefers to stay back in Rajamahendravaram or Kakinada office or somewhere outside rather than going home after the day’s work.
