Class 12 student handles Covid bodies for mother's medicines, school fees

Mother of Chand Mohammad gives him his lunchbox as he goes for work, at Seelampur in New Delhi on Monday. Chand joined a company which deployed him as a sweeper at Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital. The job requires him to handle bodies of those dying of coronavirus. His work demands an eight hours shift with higher risk of contracting the infection to meet his family's requirements including his mother's thyroid disorder. Due to lack of money, the 20-year-old stated that there are times when his family eats only once in a day to save ration for the next day

New Delhi: A class 12 student, aspiring to study medicine, has taken up the job of handling bodies of COVID-19 patients to provide for his siblings' school fees and his mother's treatment. Chand Mohammad's mother suffers from a thyroid disorder and needs her medicines urgently, but the family does not have the means for the treatment.

"We are barely making our ends meet since my elder brother lost his job at a merchandise store in Krishna Nagar market during the lockdown," the 20-year-old from Seelampur in Northeast Delhi says. His family has been surviving on ration provided by neighbours and whatever little Chand's brothers could earn doing odd jobs. A week ago, Chand joined a company which deployed him as a sweeper at the Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital here. The job requires him to handle bodies of those dying of coronavirus. The shift runs from 12 noon to 8 pm.

"I took the job after I exhausted all my options to find work. This is a dangerous job, as I am at a higher risk of contracting the infection, but I need the job. Our family, including three sisters, two brothers and parents, is struggling without money. Right now, we need food and medicines for my mother," Chand says.

"Kayin din ghar me khana ek hi baar bana (On many days, we cooked food only once). There is a possibility that we may survive the virus, but we cannot escape hunger," he says. Chand says his three sisters are in school. He, a class 12 student himself, is yet to pay the school fee. "Paisa chahiye padhai ke liye (you need money to study)," he says. Chand hopes that his first salary will set things right to a certain extent. "I offer 'namaz' before I step out of home for work. I have faith in the Almighty. He will take care of me and show me the way," Chand, who wants to study medicine, says.

But what bothers the youngster is that employees like him who are into high-risk jobs do not get any insurance from the private companies employing them. "The most dangerous job in the world right now (handling bodies of COVID-19 patients) pays around Rs 17,000 per month," he sighs.

Every day, Chand handles around two to three bodies along with another sweeper. "We are required to put the bodies inside the ambulance, take it to the crematorium and put it down on a stretcher once we reach the crematorium," he says.

"And, you have to do all this wearing the personal protection equipment (PPE), which is very heavy. It limits movement and suffocates a person," he says.

"My parents inquire about my work daily. They pray for my safety. My mother cries a lot, but I make her understand," he says. Chand adds he takes a bath as soon as he reaches home and keeps a distance from his family members. "I have been taking all precautions, but we may never know what would happen. For now, I want some help so that the family remains afloat," he says.