KashmirCare – a special initiative that rekindles hope amid the pandemic

15 May 2021

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Srinagar: Kashmir is known for its effective voluntary relief and rehabilitation initiatives in its difficult times. This Covid19 pandemic is no exception.

KashmirCare, a NAAM initiative, is a civil society forum of like minded people who have joined hands to make a positive difference in the lives of the people impacted by the Covid19 pandemic in Kashmir.

“KashmirCare is a people’s movement. We thought, Kashmir needs to put together a crisis group and KashmirCare will be facilitators to this noble and most needed cause”, Nadima Nazir Ali, the founder of the group, steering the initiative, said.

Ms Nadima espouses a larger vision. “We would like to also extend all possible help Covid affected people require in terms of medical aid and medicines. We aim to make our society strong, self sufficient and secure a healthy present and a safe environment”, she said.

One of the priorities of the group right now is to focus on people with diabetes, heart ailments, kidney failure (on dialysis) and other chronic ailments that are the most susceptible to the CoronaVirus.

“KashmirCare are facilitators to people from our community like people from the Hospitality Industry, the Healthcare Sector doctors and paramedics, Businessmen, Traders, The Tourism Industry, People from the media like journalists, Food and Beverage Industry, Friends, Colleagues and Acquaintances. And Most importantly the entire team of Kashmir 21 and it’s supporters and well wishers who have wholeheartedly supported this endeavour in all ways possible. It has been the support and the timely intervention of all these people from our community that this initiative has been able to contribute a little bit to our society.” says Ms Nadima Nazir Ali.

One of the most crucial activities of the group is the provision of nurses and attendants to those patients with no caregiver.

“We have interviewed 20 paramedics that include 10 nurses and 10 attendants for providing care services to those with no caretakers. We would attach some of these paramedics with the SMHS hospital, which requires more trained staff at this crucial juncture. The principal of the GMC Srinagar will assign work according to the hospital’s need and their salary is on us”, Ms Nadima said.

The group is also collaborating with organisations in Kashmir that are doing similar work and have established a network of support and care.

“Of this group of caretakers, KashmirCare will continue to directly coordinate work of 15 paramedics and attach them with Help Poor Voluntary Trust, and SRO Kashmir whose salary will also be on us”, Ms Nadima said.

Appreciating the role of doctors, paramedics and administrators associated with their work, Ms Nadima says, “Our doctors, paramedics and administrators are doing extraordinary work in these challenging times. And so are our NGOs. All sectors are dedicated to serve the community. We have lost precious lives of our doctors and frontline workers in this process to whom we are forever grateful and will be. These existing institutions should be enhanced by our resources. We have learnt from developed nations that thst death cannot be curtailed by addition of more beds, then America and Europe wouldn’t have suffered as they did. It is our collective duty to give timely medical care, make people aware about the guidelines and protocols of the Covid-19 Pandemic.”

We as a community should lead by example and impart the right information to the people be it about vaccinations or safety measures like social distancing. It is our moral obligation and we should do it without fail and wear masks indoors and outdoors to save the lives of our present and future generations.

The group is also picking up leads and information from social media to direct support to the vulnerable people who need support and care in these times.

“A mere look at the social media gives an indication that a large number of the elderly population is dying at home due to the Covid or they reach hospitals at a late stage. One of the reasons is that their attendants don’t have proper guidance at home. There are scores of Covid-19 sick patients who require home care like some families who even don’t know how to adjust oxygen flow if some of their sick patients are on an oxygen cylinder, there are cases where patients need injections and paramedics are not coming forward to help them. There are cases where patients need regular nursing care at home. These paramedics would be on call to help out Covid-19 patients at home. It will be paramedical home service. In the coming times, if at all need arises, we will also hire one doctor’s service, who would head this paramedical team”, Ms Nadima says.

Monitoring of the exercise

Initially, KashmirCare’s experiment will be carried out in Srinagar given the high number of cases there.

“The group intends to monitor things on a weekly basis, and seek a report from the HPVT and SRO. The report should include how many home-bound Covid patients these paramedics have visited and have provided their services and what kind of advice, the report should have the names and phone numbers of the patients or their attendants, they have visited”, one of the group members said, adding, “the paramedics will be given necessary things like N-95 and full PPE kits to safeguard themselves. This paramedical home service we are starting on an experimental basis with a notion that it will help people, who are in distress, a great deal.”

Provision of more support

After having set up special caring services, the group is now buying concentrators, sanitizers, N95 and surgical masks, oximeters, thermometers and face shields etc. which will be made into Covid kids and distributed to the people who need assistance.

“Currently the group is focusing on the pandemic and affected population as much as possible! We shall with the help of all Good Samaritans try and assist the people who have lost their livelihoods. This is the civil society group that has taken this endeavour forward and made it grow so that it reaches the right people. We request you to join in all ways possible so we can make this endeavour a success”, Ms Nadima said.

Request for joining hands

The group has deep appreciation for its donors who stepped forward on its suggestion and made a timely intervention to improve the present state of affairs and infrastructure.