Lockdown Diary, Day 70: Man uses wedding savings to feed poor; 7,300 non-Covid patients get help via Kashmir’s helpline

As India enters ‘unlock 1.0’, here’s a curated list of some interesting stories from across the country on Day 70 of lockdown.

Special helpline set up by local administration helps over 7,300 non-Covid-19 patients in Kashmir

A special helpline set up by the local administration in Kashmir has been able to provide assistance to over 7,300 non-Covid-19 patients in getting free dialysis, chemotherapies, essential medicines and transportation during the coronavirus-triggered lockdown, a senior official said. Deputy Commissioner of Srinagar, Shahid Choudhary, who led a team to set up the special helpline, spoke about the effectiveness of the call centre and said “the administration has been able to help over 7,300 patients”.

The special helpline was launched by the district administration at the onset of Covid-19-response in Kashmir two months ago to take care of existing health issues with a special focus on patients suffering from kidney ailments, diabetes or cancer.

MP: Covid-19 patient gives birth to baby girl in Sagar district 

A 24-year-old Covid-19 patient gave birth to a baby girl at a hospital in Madhya Pradesh’s Sagar district, an official said on Tuesday. The woman was admitted to the Bundelkhand Medical College (BMC) and Hospital after she tested positive for the deadly infection on Monday, Dr Umesh Patel from the hospital said. A team of doctors had performed a c-section on the patient and delivered a baby girl at around 11 pm on Monday, he said, adding that the procedure was carried out in keeping with the ICMR guidelines. “Since the woman was already infected, the child will also be tested for coronavirus within 24 hours,” he said.

Funds pour in for man who used wedding savings to feed poor

The gesture of a Pune-based auto-rickshaw driver to use the money saved for his wedding to feed migrant labourers has moved people across the country, many of whom have opened their purses to offer monetary help to him. In turn, Akshay Kothawale (30) is again using the monetary help he has received to provide food and ration kits to the needy and poor people here in Maharashtra. Kothawale said is grateful for the overwhelming support he has got and is encouraged to keep helping those whom he finds in need on Pune streets. Kothawale had saved Rs 2 lakh for his wedding, which was earlier scheduled on May 25 but got postponed due to the coronavirus-enforced lockdown.

Pained to see poor people, specially migrant workers, facing hardships due to no work and no income, he along with some of his friends set up a kitchen with the money he had to prepare food, and also distributed it at several places here. In the midst of this, his father died last month, but the tragedy did not deter him and he continued with his initiative. After reading about Kothawale’s gesture and his resolve to continue with food distribution, many people from across the country offered him monetary help. “I have received around Rs 6 lakh from people across the country. I am very grateful for the warm and kind gesture shown by people who, after reading about our initiative, came forward and lent a helping hand,” he said. Kothawale said he will continue food distribution in several areas here with the money he has received.

With inputs from PTI