Indian man converts rickshaw into ‘ambulance’ to help COVID-patients

By Shuriah Niazi

NEW DELHI (AA) – The phone of Javed Khan, 34, an autorickshaw driver in the central Indian city of Bhopal, was buzzing round the clock when the second COVID-19 wave hit the country in mid-March.

Disturbed at the deaths due to acute shortages of oxygen, fewer hospital beds, and lack of other medical facilities, Khan converted his three-wheeler into a free "ambulance."

“Most of the people didn’t have money. The ambulance operators were demanding about Rs 5,000 ($80) for a short distance of only 2-5 kilometers. That's why I started helping people without thinking twice,” he told Anadolu Agency on the eve of World Kindness Day, which is being observed on Saturday.

He equipped his vehicle with an oxygen cylinder, hand sanitizer, personal protection equipment (PPE) kit, and an oximeter and transported people to nearby hospitals free of charge.

“The situation was very bad. People were dying in large numbers as they were unable to receive medical care on time. In such terrible circumstances, I felt that I should come forward to help,” said Khan.

During the pandemic, he is believed to have helped at least 90 people.

- Restored faith

Since his cellphone number went viral on social media, it continued buzzing with requests from patients and their attendants.

As the rickshaw was his only source of income, he suffered huge financial losses. In the first wave due to the lockdown, his earnings dried up.

The father of two daughters and a son ranging in age from 9 to 12, Javed got support from his wife, who sold her jewelry to help him to convert the vehicle into an "ambulance."

When people learned about his work, they came forward to support his yeoman service.

Ejaz Ashraf said that Javed’s help proved critical to saving his brother, who contracted COVID-19.

"Javed's number was viral on social media. My brother's condition was deteriorating and we called him. He immediately took us to the hospital and refused to take any money from us," said Ashraf.

"His help in that situation reinforced my faith in God and humanity," he added.