Tsiga’s tale from the frontline

AS the team medic for two largely successful volleyball and basketball teams, and a member of the ambulance section of the Harare City fire brigade, Shepherd Tsiga is no stranger to feeling unappreciated and being far from the limelight.

After all, who remembers the guy whose main job is to attend to sprains and broken joints?

Or who takes the time to learn the name of the ambulance guy whenever there is a fire or accident?

But for this 49-year-old, it is not about gaining recognition, but a call to action.

It is this “call to action” that takes this Mutoko native from the comfort of his home every morning and straight onto the frontline in the war against the coronavirus pandemic.

Today, Tsiga is one of the millions of faceless men and women worldwide who risk their safety and well-being every day by testing, treating and counselling the growing number of Covid-19 patients.

“As a member of the medical profession, and in the ambulance section specifically, it was inevitable that I would be called to action,” said the Harare City Hornets medic.

“Yes, it is frightening to be out in the wake of the coronavirus. My family fears for my safety every day, but it’s a war against humanity, and there had to be those that choose to fight.

“I remember saying to myself ‘if not me, then who?’ and the decision to volunteer became a no-brainer.

“I prayed about it, asking for protection from the Almighty, and that was it”.

This is not to paint Tsiga as some fearless man, but as a member of the fire brigade, he has seen his fair share of death and destruction.

“I am a member of the Harare Fire Brigade, which consists of the fire and the ambulance sections.

“I belong to the latter, which I joined as a trainee ambulance attendant a lifetime ago and rose to become a technician, and then an emergency medical technician (EMT).

“I have served as an EMT since 2004 when I completed the course and training, and have seen my fair share of death.

“The worst was back in 2018 when two buses collided near Juru Growth Point. We were one of the first respondents.

“I had never seen so many dead people before, and (I) remember we had a torrid time identifying the sex of some of the bodies as their parts were scattered around.

“It was traumatic and gave me sleepless nights for weeks on end,” he said.

However, that strangely pales in comparison to the threat and experiences Tsiga goes through every day.

“Covid-19 case number three was arguably one of the worst experiences of my entire career.

“We had to go collect him from his residence and bring him to a quarantine centre, and unfortunately I was the senior guy in that ambulance.

“I had to take command. “Bear in mind, this is during the early days of the pandemic, and I had to sit there with the patient in the ambulance.

“My heart was pounding, and the patient could see the fear written all over my face and largely kept to himself.

“He sat some distance away from me,” he said.

The training he received, however, kicked in.

“Probably due to the shame, more than anything else, my training kicked in and my nerves settled.

“I counselled him a bit, tried my best to reassure him and we arrived safely at our destination.

“We had our training, back in March, on the Covid-19 virus itself, the prevention measures and how to go about our business in the field.

“That course — led by our leader Dr (Soman) Mudariki — helped a lot in how I conducted myself with that patient and how to go about my daily duties today,” he said.

With both volleyball and basketball in Covid-19-induced limbo, Tsiga’s life mostly revolves around the pandemic these days.

But he remains hopeful of getting back to the sporting field.

“I regard myself as a sportsman, first and foremost, and hold a soft spot for my duties with Harare City’s volleyball and basketball teams.

“I played some basketball and volleyball back in school, but when I joined Harare City in the early 2000s, I was more than happy to answer the call to become a medic. “That is how I contribute to the teams, and nothing has changed. “I remain committed to them,” Tsiga said.