Nurse who treated Nipah patient, new parents, answer call of duty

It was a dream come true for K.T. Kamarunissa, a nurse who treated a Nipah patient in Kerala, when she landed in the UAE yesterday.

“I really wanted to serve Covid-19 patients,” said the 25-year-old from Kerala’s Kozhikode district. “I had contacted au- thorities in Kozhikode to check whether there was a possibility to volunteer in any of the Covid-19 facilities in the district, but I didn’t get a chance. When I got to know about this recruitment held by VPS Healthcare. I had no second thoughts,” she said.

Seeing her enthusiasm and confidence, her family and husband stood by her, she said.

Her only concern is being separated from her child. “I will miss my child a lot, but I am mentally prepared. In this hour of need, I believe serving those suffering is my duty. I will meet my child after winning this battle,” Kamarunissa said.

‘It is our duty to serve the ailing’

Vinod Sebastian, a senior male nurse, has also left behind his four-month-old child. “How can we hold back when a virus is raging around the world? It is our duty to serve the ailing and combat the spread of the virus,” the 40-year-old father of two, said. With over 11 years of experience, Vinod has been a member of a volunteer support group when

Kerala was hit by a devastating flood in 2018. In his maiden journey to the UAE, he is fully prepared. “Being from Kerala, we have the experience of dealing with similar crises,” he said.

‘I will miss my daughter. She is just six’

V. R. Rakhi, another nurse, said her parents were bit afraid to send her to the UAE. “I persuaded them. This is our duty. I have been working as a nurse in the medical ICU for over six years now. All of us are well aware that this is the time we must step forward to help the world in this crisis. I am very excited and proud to be a part of this mission,” she said.

“I will miss my daughter. She is just six. But I have told her that amma [mother] is going to take care of patients. She has agreed. She has told me that she will study well and become a smart girl and learn everything by the time I get back home,” Rakhi added.

‘My parents are very proud of me’

The support and encouragement of her family is the driving force for Pinkymol Mathew, a 26-year-old nurse from Kottayam. She has been working in the critical care department of a private hospital in Kerala for about three years now.

“When I heard about this opportunity, I wanted to try. I discussed this with my family and all were very supportive. They are very proud of me. Now, I should do my work well to keep my parents proud,” she said.