HYDERABAD: An excise subinspector stands outside the government civil hospital in Karimnagar every day along with six friends to distribute food packets, PPE kits, sanitisers and masks to Covid-19 patients and their attendants.
This daily routine has been going on without a break since the second wave of Covid-19 hit Telangana, necessitating restrictions on the movement of people.
Shaik Amer Arafath, an excise official attached to the enforcement wing, took the role of a Covid warrior after he found Covid-19 patients finding it hard to get food.
Most of them are poor and even if someone could afford it, their attendants cannot move out due to Covid-19 curfew.
Amer, who had a similar experience when his father was admitted to hospital a few years ago, decided that no one admitted in government hospital or their attendants should go to sleep on an empty stomach or struggle to find food.
Amer and his friends Ashraf, Sohail, Rizwan, Khader, Qadeer and Azharuddin pool up money every day from their salary to help the patients and their attendants.
During the first wave of Covid-19, they served food and supplied protection gear to the needy.
“Covid-19 has hit everyone hard.
Our aim is to provide humanitarian support to the families of Covid-19 patients irrespective of religion, caste or creed.
Many are struggling to get food due to the strict enforcement of lockdown.
We have been distributing 200 food packets, 200 water bottles, 200 face masks and 100 kg of banana daily,” Amer told TOI.
He said he knew the pain of the attendants of Covid-19 patients as he had experienced it when his father was admitted to hospital multiple times.
“I noticed attendants, despite having money, are struggling to get food.
This moved me to take up the service,” he added.