After the news of anauto-rickshaw turned to an ambulance, food providing vans, meet a doctor fromBengaluru, who runs a mobile clinic to treat the Covid-19 patients.
Every morning at 8 am,Dr. Sunil Kumar Hebbi takes his car out to serve humanity by not going histo his clinic or hospital, but to take his mobile clinic to treat patients intheir homes.
Dr. Hebbi is running thismobile clinic for the past 10 years through his Matru Siri Foundation to treat thepoor free of charge. However, the current Covid-19 crisis has forced him to beon double duty.
During the day, hetreats patients through his mobile clinic, and since the first week of April, hehas been working the night shift at the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike CovidCare Centre in Goripalya.
Amidst such tough times,37-year-old Dr Hebbi manages to take some time off work to sleep between 1-3 pmand between midnight and early rounds after his duty at the Covid Care Centre.
It is to be noted herethat Dr Hebbi, born and brought up in Vijayapura, came up with this idea whilehe was working at BGS Hospital in Bengaluru. In 2011, he decided to quit hisjob to start a mobile clinic, with just two full-time workers, Dr Hebbi himselfand a nurse.
However, an assistantdoctor and a nurse would volunteer with him.
To turn his sedan into a well equipped mobile clinic, his associates helped him to raise Rs 2 lakhthrough donations. In his mobile clinic, there is an ECG machine, oxygenconcentrator and cylinder, medicines for common illnesses such as cold, cough,fever.
Since the outbreak ofCovid, Dr. Hebbi has treated nearly 250 cases of contagious infection.
“I generally deal with mild and asymptomaticCovid-19 cases. I first inquire about the patient’s vitals and try my best tooffer telemedicine service. If the situation demands it, I drive to thepatients’ homes,” said Dr. Hebbi.
Apart from medical consultation, Dr. Hebbinever hesitates to answer other calls so he can extend his help to the personin need.
In his daily schedule, Dr Hebbi treats 10-12patients a day, sometimes travelling 120 km all over the city.
Expressing concern over the distressingsituation, Dr Hebbi said, “The rise in petrol prices and the high demand formedicines and logistics is making it difficult for me to sustain this model.Although I finalised a deal to buy a second-hand Tempo Traveller, the dealerdid not get back to me. I am struggling to raise funds now.”