Ghaus Siwani

As against the imagery of people dressed in fresh crisp white kurta-pyjamas and caps flocking to the Eidgah and mosques for offering namaz and the smell of food being cooked in homes wafting in the Muslim neighbourhoods, this Eid ul Fitr saw many Muslim doctors taking care of the Covid-29 patients and trying to save as many lives as they can.

Dr Asif had lost his father to Covid-19 a fortnight ago; he too had been infected by the virus earlier and had recovered.

However on the day of Eid, Dr Asif prayed alone in his room at the Medical College, Tanda, Ambedkar Nagar, Uttar Pradesh. Thereafter, he drank a cup of tea and wore his PPE kit and other protective gear and left to be on duty at the Covid 19 hospital at 8 am.

His wife Dr. Hina Syeda was also on duty in the Covid-19 Gynecology Department of the Medical College. Their 6-year-old son Mahim Akhtar and 2-year-old daughter Ajna Asif were at home and there were hardly many celebrations since both parents were on duty to save the lives of Covid-patients.

This Eid was exceptional for many families of the doctors; even the parents and children couldn’t meet for celebrating the day.

 Mahamaya Hospital and Medical College, Tanda, Ambedkar Nagar

Dr. Ateeq Alam, in charge of Tanda MCH Wing Cove 19 Hospital, is virtually on around the clock duty. He has to take care of the Covid-19 hospital 24X7.

On the day of Eid, he offered namaz in one of the hospital rooms and prayed for the recovery of all his patients. Although he missed his children on that day he quickly brushed aside his thoughts and set out to face the far greater challenges in this extraordinary situation of Covid pandemic.

Dr Asif and Dr Atif, professors of Mahamaya Government Medical College, Tanda, started their duties at Covid-19 Hospital in the morning of Eid. Dr Hina Syeda took up her duties in the Covid-19 department of the Medical College. They all had the same thought running in the minds - this time shall also pass.

Dr Ateeq Alam carried out his responsibilities with utmost honesty. Dr. Javed and Dr. Asif were on duty at the Covid Hospital of the Medical College from 8:00 am to 2:00 pm.

While many Muslims across India were preparing to celebrate Eid, the doctors changed their clothes, put on PPE kits and entered the wards to take care of  Covid patients. They got busy attending to those who were running low on oxygen, others on a ventilator; rushing to check on others for blood pressure and sugar.

None of them had any regrets on not being able to celebrate Eid, for the taste of happiness that they all got by saving the lives of patients was sweeter than all thesevaiya they had on any Eid.

Oxygen machine presented by Dr Tauseef Khan

In another instance Dr Tauseef Khan of FI Hospital Lucknow presented an oxygen concentrator to a hospital in Lakhimpur Kheri on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr.

Rajneesh Gupta, director of Samsya Samadhan Parivar, that runs the hospital by the same name, says many people had lost their lives due to lack of oxygen during the second wave of Covid-19.

Taking the problem seriously, the company purchased a five-litre oxygen concentrator machine to address the problem and found another machine that has been made available to the poor under the supervision of doctors.

On the auspicious occasion of Eid, Dr Tauseef Khan presented Dual Oxygen Concentrator to the hospital as his gift. Dr Tauseef said that this machine will provide oxygen to two patients simultaneously and can also double up as a nebulizer whenever needed.

Not only Muslim doctors spent Eid day attending to patients of Covid-19 but also many refrained from buying expensive clothes and indulging in extravaganze in view of the general despondency.

Sohrab Khan and his team donating Oxygen cylinders on Eid

Members of Dhanbad social organization youth committee, Jharkhand, celebrated Eid-ul-Fitr by offering oxygen cylinders to Codiv-19 patients. Led by Sohrab Khan, the founding member of the organization, the workers handed over a set of six jumbo oxygen cylinders, and oxygen flow meter and six oximeters to Muhammad Fazl Khan, president of Anjuman-e-Islamia al Muslimeen, Jamia Masjid, Purana Bazaar, for giving the same fee of cost to the needy.