BHUBANESWAR: Two employees of 108 ambulance service who went out of their way to help an injured patient reach a health centre safely amidst cyclonic rains and even returned the money her attendant accidentally dropped in the vehicle have emerged as heroes.
The Good Samaritans, 28-year-old Manas Mallik and 36-year-old Nakula Charan Mallik of Kendrapara district, have come in for praise from the state government as well as the people.
In the early hours of Friday, when Kendrapara witnessed heavy rainfall under the impact of cyclone Dana’s landfall, Sanjaya Rout of Kathuaganda village under Rajnagar block called up the 108 ambulance service to take his relative Itishree Rout to hospital. She had sustained injuries on her back after a broken tree branch fell on her. She had slipped while stepping outside her house to check the cyclone damage.
The 108 ambulance attached to Rajnagar community health centre (CHC) responded and the vehicle reached the area around 7.45 am. However, as the approach road to the village was blocked due to fallen trees, the ambulance had to stop two km from the patient’s home.
Unable to proceed further, ambulance helper Manas and emergency medical technician (EMT) Nakula walked to the spot carrying a stretcher. However, as the village road was muddy, slippery, and rains continued to batter the area, the two found it difficult to carry Itishree on a stretcher. Manas then decided to carry the patient in his arms and carefully ran towards the ambulance while Nakula and Sanjaya followed him.
That is not all. After dropping off the patient at the Rajnagar CHC, Manas and Nakula cleaned the vehicle when the latter found a bundle of cash amounting to Rs 6,500. Realising that the patient’s attendant Sanjaya was carrying the cash, Nakula immediately drove back to the CHC and returned the money to him. “In these difficult times, getting to help a fellow human is actually a blessing,” said Nakula who is a resident of Ghagara village in Kendrapara block.
Both Manas, Nakula and driver of the ambulance Ranjan had remained awake throughout the October 24 night when the cyclone made a landfall.
“Throughout the night, we carried close to 17 patients to Rajnagar CHC. Although it was physically taxing, we are happy that we could help a few people during the cyclone,” said Manas, a native of Nagaripada under Garadpur block of the district.