Young group reaching out to needy patients in Sangam city

PRAYAGRAJ: A group of youths has come forward to help both Covid and non-Covid patients, especially in the old city, at a time when even near and dear ones are reluctant to attend to the ill

PRAYAGRAJ: A group of youths has come forward to help both Covid and non-Covid patients, especially in the old city, at a time when even near and dear ones are reluctant to attend to the ill. The group uses all available resources to help patients and their attendants and tries to instill confidence among them to fight the disease. The youths have formed WhatsApp groups to share information about needy patients, availability of resources and man force for delivering necessary items to them.

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The group pools resources and takes help from local leaders, corporators and eminent citizens to help patients soon after receiving a distress call.

Zeeshan Rehmani, the founder member of the group, said he and some of his friends were shocked at a large number of deaths all of a sudden. It was not hard to realise that second wave of Covid-19 was extremely dangerous. Soon there were reports of patients dying without receiving necessary basic help for treatment. Many of the patients were from poor families and were unable to arrange for medicines etc.

With the objective of helping poor patients and their attendants, a group was formed over 20 days back. Many youths from different localities of the old city volunteered to join. A Whatsapp group was created with the name of Covid-19 help in which members were added.

Volunteers share information about poor patients in their localities, their condition and needs through Whatsapp groups. Most of the time patients are short of oxygen, medicines, transport and even money and attendants.

However, with a large number of patients and meager resources, those in critical condition or lacking money are helped on priority basis.

“Some oxygen cylinders were donated by people who got them for treatment of their kin earlier while some cylinders were taken from welders on rent. Those in immediate need are given empty cylinders and sometimes poor attendants are also helped in taking the cylinder to plant to get them filled,” Zeeshan shared.

Another member of the group Mohd Usman said besides oxygen cylinders, medicines, transport and other necessary facilities were being arranged by the group which has over 100 members in different localities. “We have pooled resources and sought help from others to help patients. Our motive is to reach out to patients who are financially weak and have no kin to attend them”, Usman said.

The group has till now helped a large number of patients residing across old city and even reaches out to people in narrow lanes and bylanes.