E-Paper
Lucknow youth out to ring in ‘Badlav’ with timely help to Covid-patients
Members of a group called ‘Badlav –Ek Kadam Shiksha Ki Ore’ are helping Covid patients in home isolation in Lucknow with oxygen cylinders, free food and medicines, apart from ambulance service
Members of a group called ‘Badlav –Ek Kadam Shiksha Ki Ore’ are helping Covid patients in home isolation in Lucknow with oxygen cylinders, free food and medicines, apart from ambulance service.
Team Badlav said they have been coordinating with district authorities to ensure essentials like food, medicines and even oxygen supplies reach Covid patients under home isolation in areas such Alambagh, Charbagh, Ashiana, Krishna Nagar and Hussainganj.
“It all began when Covid-19 infected father of a friend died recently. We were not able to arrange an oxygen cylinder for him. An ambulance came nearly 15 hours late. He died at home. From that moment, I decided to help all Covid-affected people,” Somnath Kashyap, leader of Team Badlav said.
Lucknow is the worst Covid-hit district in Uttar Pradesh. The state capital reported 3,058 fresh Covid infections on Monday, followed by Gautam Buddha Nagar-1,446, Kanpur-1,311, Varanasi-1,022, Prayagraj-858 and Ghaziabad-598. Many patients are alleged to have died in hospitals across the state due to shortage of medical oxygen. At least three cases of patients’ relatives vandalising hospitals in Meerut and Agra were received recently.
Somnath claims some good people in district administration helped them arrange six oxygen cylinders which were given to the needy following proper procedures. With many city residents coming out in their support, the group has now arranged two ambulances.
“Two ambulances that we run, have taken nearly 150 patients to various city hospitals. We are supplying food to more than 500 people daily along with medicines to Covid and non-Covid patients, for free,” he said.
Those helped by the group are full of gratitude. “My Husband Abhas Bajpai (45) was advised oxygen support as his oxygen level dipped to 90. Doctors prescribed him Medrol and oxygen support which I got from team Badlav. When I called them for help ,they collected my original prescription and arranged oxygen support without any charges, they also helped my family with food and other medicines,” said Shalini Bajpai, a resident of Kesri Khera near Krishna Nagar in Lucknow.
Team Badlav ensures that it provides oxygen cylinders only against original prescription and Aadhar cards as per the instructions of the district authorities.
At a time when news of Covid patients dying due to shortage of medical oxygen and medicines and their struggles to get beds in hospitals is spreading gloom and doom, the Badlav group’s positive intent has lit a spark of hope. Somnath says many city residents including doctors, advocates, professors, teachers, businessmen, traders, writers, intellectuals and policemen have begun to support the group in their noble cause.
“We are helping team Badlav because of their honesty in serving Covid patients, that too at a time when sons are refusing to touch their fathers if they are found positive. These boys are providing them all sorts of help including installation of oxygen cylinders at the bed side of a patient,” said Tarun Kumar, director of Desire Career Point.
Somnath said they have created a WhatsApp group Badlav Covid Helping, through which they receive requests for help. Last year too, these young men distributed food during the lockdown. “People have seen us help others in the past. That’s why this time we have got monetary support from everywhere to run our service,” said Akash Pal, another Team Badlav member, who mostly does night shifts.
The group has more than 50 members including Shanu Pal, Virendra Saroj and Satish Gupta, who play prominent roles.
Lucknow residents can reach Team Badlav on phone numbers- 7275999311 and 8953547346 for help.
