Civil society groups on forefront to mitigate sufferings of Covid victims in Kashmir

As Covid-19 continues to wreak havoc in Kashmir like most parts of the country, the response of the civil society groups to mitigate the sufferings of the victims have been overwhelming.

A number of NGOs and volunteers have been an oasis of hope for people in Kashmir, going into overdrive to help mitigate the suffering of the poor and needy during the pandemic. From arranging oxygen to food, helping in burial of patients who die due to Covid to providing monetary help to poor families who have lost their livelihood due to the lockdown, civil society in Kashmir has been at the forefront of the fight against the deadly pathogen.

It is not only during the Covid crisis, but Kashmir has a long history of community support as NGOs and volunteers have always been on the frontline during earthquakes, floods and man-made disasters.

This time also hundreds of civil society members in Kashmir have dedicated themselves to fight Covid-19 as hospitals are struggling to cope with a relentless inflow of patients mainly complaining of bilateral pneumonia and who need oxygen support.

Shabir Ahmad, a shopkeeper from north Kashmir, whose family tested Covid positive earlier this month, was clueless after his diabetic mother’s condition worsened. “I got panicked as oxygen levels had dipped to 70 and she faced breathlessness. I requested some relatives to shift her to Srinagar for treatment, but nobody was willing to come forward due to the fear,” he told DH.

It was one of his friend’s who asked Ahmad to call the helpline number of Help Poor Voluntary Trust (HPVT), an NGO, which sent an ambulance during night and ferried his mother to JLNM hospital in Srinagar. “Had they (HPVT) not taken my mother to the hospital she might have died at home,” he said while expressing gratitude to the members of the NGO for the selfless work they are doing.

The Haj House in Srinagar, otherwise only used when local Muslims travel to Saudi Arabia for the pilgrimage to Mecca, was converted into a 100-bedded Covid-19 hospital by volunteers of Kashmir Athrout, a charitable organization in collaboration with the District Disaster Management Authority.

The ambitious project attracted volunteers from all spheres of society, including doctors. ‘Athrout’ chairman Bashir Ahmed Nadwi said besides providing oxygen support to the 100-bed hospital they are also giving meals to patients undergoing treatment in the makeshift hospital.

Different NGOs like Athrout Kashmir, SRO Kashmir, Help Foundation, Help Poor Voluntary Trust, J&K Yateem Foundation, Silk Volunteer Kashmir are providing oxygen concentrators and oxygen cylinders to Covid patients while Ehsaas International is providing free tele medical consultation to the public.

Mohammad Afaaq Saeed, a businessman, who is associated with Social Reforms Organisation (SRO) Kashmir, says they have kept 250 oxygen cylinders, 223 oxygen concentrators, 250 non-invasive machines, four ambulances and other equipment available for Covid patients.

“Our volunteers work 24X7 on the ground to mitigate the problems of Covid patients. We receive dozens of calls from distraught families of Covid patients every day,” he said.

The SRO not only provides coronavirus patients with oxygen support, doctor consultations and food but also helps in burial of people who die due to Covid. The NHO has even established a community graveyard where they have buried three victims since last year.

There are hundreds of civil society members like Sayeed who are on the forefront of providing succor to the needy patients in this hour of tragedy across the Valley. With thousands of new Covid-19 cases and dozens of deaths reported daily in J&K, volunteers and community groups continue to be the cornerstone of the pandemic response.