Working in present times when the entire humanity is fighting against the deadly Coronavirus threat has made my job one of the most noble, responsible, critical and challenging, said Ambulance driver at Associate Hospital Government Medical College, Doda, Parvaz Iqbal Sheikh."Amid the fast life of present times, the rate of incidents/accidents has exceeded considerably which requires readiness of medical machinery as well as the frontline workers like me" Parvaz added.Parvaz says that being in the service as an ambulance driver for more than 8 years now, he has never felt so depressed and stressed as in the last one year, while working amid this deadly Covid-19 pandemic day and night.Referring to his last year duty schedule, Parvaz says that he had to everyday take the samples collected at the GMC or from elsewhere in the district all the way to designated Centres in Jammu under set protocol so that these are tested, because at that time there was no RT PCR machine available in the GMC Doda.
Adding further, he says that when any patient was gasping for oxygen last year he had to be referred to Jammu or Srinagar for intensive care as there was no manifold or oxygen generation plant available in GMC Doda at that point of time."Spinning wheels at a fast speed by risking our own lives while taking the referred patients to the out of district hospitals gives us more happiness than any other worldly pleasure", Parvaz added.“Apart from this when nobody is ready to touch the dead bodies of the Covid victims, we would assist the bereaved family in making arrangements for the final journey of the deceased, while putting our own lives at stake,” he added.“Other than the professional duty, the hospital authorities also give me other small assignments keeping in view my dedication and commitment,” he added. However, Parvaz is happy that in comparison to last year the infrastructure in his hospital has been further streamlined and strengthened to serve the people of Doda district.He urged the people of the district to follow the instructions with regard to Covid appropriate behaviour seriously as this deadly virus has swallowed the beloved and dear ones of many of us in recent times.