A gritty journey with Coronavirus positive in Warangal

Warangal: Chaitanya - her name literally means spirit. And this 35-year-old, mother of two kids, who is working with 108 as the emergency medical technician (EMT) for the last seven years, has it in abundance. What buttresses the fact is that she had been around coronavirus (Covid-19) positive, suspects and quarantine cases for over five weeks now, ferrying them to the Gandhi Hospital in Secunderabad, the designated facility for treating the pandemic that has been threatening the very existence of the mankind.

Thipparam Chaitanya is one of the 25 EMTs, who are working round the clock in shifts with the 108 Service, the free emergency response service, in Warangal Urban district. She did her masters in Social Work reflecting her service-oriented motto. Working with 108 Service is no easy task as the EMTs have to run around attending calls. It has become even tougher for them ever since the outbreak of Covid-19.

It may be underlined here that the job of EMTs begins even before the doctors lay their hand on patients for treatment. The EMTs are the ones, who bring Covid-19 positives and suspects to the hospitals.

It was on April 3, as many as 25 persons, who attended Tablighi Jamaat, a religious event held in Nizamuddin, Delhi, were tested positive for coronavirus. The administration summoned five 108 vehicles and sent all the patients to Gandhi Hospital.

Although the EMTs were trained to deal with the emergency medical situations and pre-hospital critical care, they had never handled such kind of contagious cases. Never in the past, they had used Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) while dealing with the patients.

"Initially, like others, I was a bit scary but that wasn't a constraint at all. Even though I wore PPE, travelling to Gandhi Hospital with persons tested positive for coronavirus is altogether a new experience. But it was a lifetime opportunity to serve the people. So far, I shifted six positive cases to Gandhi Hospital," Chaitanya told The Hans India. I sent both my daughters, one 12-year-old and the other one seven-year-old, to my mother's residence as a precautionary measure, she added.

"Like other frontline warriors, the EMTs are doing a commendable job working to contain the spread of Covid-19. Indeed, it's a gritty job," said, Santhosh Manduva, who has been distributing essentials to poor and needy through his non-profit organisation, Sulakshya Seva Samithi. He recently felicitated Chaitanya and has plans to fete other EMTs after the lockdown was lifted.