108 ambulance pilot Iftekhar Khaliwala's dedidation towards his duty

Father died, mother under treatment for corona and resumed duty to save lives of others

The life-saving services of 108 have become an important part of the health system and in matter of accidents or life saving emergency this number has become synonymousis as SOS that means Save Our Self.

During the Corona era, the drivers involved in the service, known as pilots, and their accompanying health workers, have been working day and night to get Corona patients to the hospital in the shortest possible time.

Iftekhar Khaliwala is one such pilot associated with the Vadodara 108 service who has set a shining example of readiness for duty in the current crisis. His 85-year-old father recently passed away from Corona. At the same time, his mother is also infected during the father's care. The Ramzan fasting is also going on and in such opposite circumstances he immediately joined the duty in order to save life of others.

He says that his father was a retired postmaster who gave us the values of preserving righteousness and loyalty at any cost. He died recently due to Corona and the moment was traumatic for the whole family. On the other hand his mother was infected with Corona and undergoing treatment.

He was on leave for Dad's funeral and other rituals. But two days after his father's death, he got a call from manager Nileshbhai urge him to join the duty as calls are coming continuously. He immediately rejoined duty after admitting her mother to the hospital.

He thought that his father would not return and the only way to pay him homage is by saving one's life through the duties of 108 emergency service.

Manager Nileshbhai has also taken note of the fact that he is faithfully performing his duties even though he is fasting. He said that the pilot, who has been on Corona ambulance duty for the past year and a half, has taken hundreds of patients to the hospital.

It is worth mentioning here that the pilot of 108 means that the driver does not just have to drive but with on-duty health worker, they also have to assist patients in wheelchairs, and other medical tasks. With it, the patient has to be transported to the hospital as fast as possible while maintaining mental health on the congested roads.

Iftekhar says that he is just a representative of his hardworking colleagues. All of them have been on duty day and night for the last one and a half years, keeping themselves and their families vigilant and safe, even under adverse circumstances.

At this time of extraordinary health calamity, all the workers of 108 like him deserve a salute.