The second wave of COVID seems to be more fatal than the first one. India’s daily covid positive cases are increasing at an alarming rate with each passing day. Yet we are still hanging in there due to the relentless work of the frontline workers and a few good samaritans who have made the world a better place, giving us hope.
Jitendra Shinde is one such auto driver from Maharashtra’s Kolhapur. He has reportedly carried over 1,000 patients who had COVID symptoms for absolutely no fare. Along with that, he has also taken another 14000+ patients to the hospitals. Additionally, he seeks updates on the number of vacant beds in hospitals and quarantine centers to help them provide immediate medical attention.
Wondering what motivates him to offer his services? Shinde lost his parents when he was just 10-year-old. He regrets that he couldn’t even say Good Bye to his ailing parents. Now, whenever he helps any patient, he feels as if he is helping his parents.
He started this community service in March 2020 during the first wave of COVID when the entire country was shut down. It is really commendable and striking that the 50-year-old has put his health and personal finances on the line to ensure help to patients.
Shinde posed a question to The National News which would tremble anyone’s soul.
“If someone tests Covid positive, society makes them a pariah. How will such people reach hospitals or quarantine centres?”
His concern doesn’t just end here. He also narrates the horrible situation of COVID-affected corpses.
“In several cases, no one comes to lift the bodies of the deceased Covid patients”, he adds.
Shinde makes sure that each deceased reaches the crematorium or burial ground with due respect.
Moreover, he delivers medicines, vegetables, and essential groceries for free of cost to recovering COVID patients and those in home isolation. Jitendra also picks up pregnant women and people with disabilities for free. But not all have welcomed his deeds. His fellow auto drivers fear that he might carry infection.
“Fellow rickshaw drivers don’t allow me to park my auto in the stand. They shun me, saying, ‘What if you infect us?’”
To serve these people, Shinde has spent 150,000 rupees from his own savings. Above that, he spent another 5,000 rupees to buy PPE kits with no external aid at all.
“No one has come forward to help me, and neither do I expect them to. People donate to temples. I spend money to save lives. Tens of people should come forward and help others. If my life story inspires someone, I will have done my job,” he concludes.