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Woman mans ambulance wheels to ferry Covid victims for burial in Pune, even at nights
Anita Gosavi started driving an ambulance last September when his brother, who is an ambulance driver, tested positive for Covid
PUNE: A group of volunteers waiting at the Kausar Baug cemetery in Kondhwa was surprised when an ambulance driven by a woman and carrying body of a person who died of Covid-19 stopped in front of the main gate at 2am on Tuesday.
Anita Gosavi, 41, had ferried the deceased from Pimpri-Chinchwad area to Kondhwa, covering a distance of about 23 km, alone.
Javed Khan, a volunteer of the group, said, “We reached the Kausar Baug Kabrastan at midnight after receiving a message that a body will arrive for burial. It was a shock for us to see a woman at the wheel of the ambulance. We salute Anita for her dedication and bravery. We have never seen a woman driving an ambulance for Covid victims as we have been performing the last rites of those who died of the virus since the outbreak last year.”
Anita, a resident of Pimpri-Chinchwad, said, “I am driving a ambulance since last September when my brother, who is an ambulance driver, tested positive for Covid. As he was not getting a driver, I offered to fill his place. Though my parents were against the decision, my brother convinced them.”
“Whenever I get a call, I rush to hospitals to either pick up a Covid patient or body. I have ferried bodies alone at night many times. The situation is bad. Few days ago, I picked up a 23-year-old woman who was infected by the virus. Along with the patient and her parents, I was running from one hospital to another in search of a bed till 6 am. Finally, Yashwantrao Chavan Medical hospital in Pimpri promised to give a bed at 8 am. So, her parents requested me to drop them at home. I dropped them at home and got a call at 7 am that the patient has passed away.”
About the fear of carrying bodies in ambulance alone at nights, Anita said, “I am not afraid to doing this work. Earlier, I was working as a school bus assistant. I was passionate about driving, and requested the bus driver uncle to teach me. The uncle taught me to drive and later I became a school bus driver before the lockdown left me jobless. I started vegetable business, but my parents asked me to shut shop.”
Anita again took to wheels after her brother went into quarantine. When the second wave of Covid started, she began the service under the name of Savitri Ambulance.
“I might be the first ambulance driver for Covid service, but am not sure. My daughter is pursuing doctorate at a renowned institute and son is a diploma holder. They have allowed me to do the work, but always tell me to follow all preventive norms.”
A native of Jamkhed taluka in Ahmednagar district, Anita was brought up at Pimplekher village before shifting to Akluj after marriage.
“When kids grew up, we shifted to Pune for their better education,” she said.
