KOZHIKODE: Had the novel coronavirus not spread its tentacles, 31-year-old expatriate Muhammadali Riyan CK would have been enjoying the pre-monsoon showers with his wife in a new house at Azhiyur. He would also have got a promotion in the cargo company in Qatar, where he was working for seven years.
Cut to reality and Covid has snatched away Riyan’s overseas job along with his colourful dreams of his own house and marriage. Undeterred, he fought back and thought of ways to lend a hand in the fight against a raging pandemic. He is now busy volunteering for the Covid rapid response team (RRT) in his panchayat.
“Witnessing the plight of others, I realised my loss was bearable. I can’t forget the distraught faces of Covid victims’ relatives who had to bid adieu without a final glimpse of their loved ones,” says Riyan.
As an RRT volunteer, he has so far helped bury or cremate six Covid victims. His team also disinfects places, accompanies the health department team to check the oxygen level of patients and delivers goods at homes. “The PPE kit has become routine for us. Wearing it under a blazing sun is horrible. We struggle to see as sweat would spread across the goggles. During such moments, I think about the healthcare staff who are always in PPE. A big thanks to them,” he says.
From keeping a safe distance from kids, who he always liked to play with, to becoming less adventurous, the experience has changed Riyan’s perception of life.“I’m not the adventurous and carefree youth anymore. I have seen many staying alive only because they got an oxygen cylinder in the nick of time,” he says.
Azhiyur panchayat secretary T Shahul Hameed says the panchayat could not have asked for a better volunteer than Riyan. “Besides offering his services, he is teaching other volunteers as well,” Hameed says.Riyan and his friends are now striving to arrange a 24x7 oxygen supply-enabled ambulance in Azhiyur. “This is the need of the hour. People struggling for air is a heartbreaking sight,” he says.