From helping patients avail themselves of medical services to the delivery of essentials amid the lockdown, ‘Ride for Health’ by the Bhutan Red Cross Society (BRCS) couldn’t have been more supportive and timely. Since the lockdown, the initiative has helped about 100 people in Thimphu alone.
Tandin Lhamo, a taxi driver, is among the 60 active volunteers catering to the people in Thimphu. Away from home and her children who are with her younger sister, she delivers essentials and medicines. “I am very happy that I got an opportunity to serve the country during this difficult time,” she said.
The volunteers have also helped more than 20 patients and attendants travel as far as Gelegphu and Samtse.
”Our taxi drivers use their taxi and general volunteers their car to reach patients and attendants to other districts. During such travels, we arrange food and logistics for our volunteers and the travellers,’’ said Dragyel Tenzin, the Secretary-General of the society.
Likewise, it also helps patients reach the hospital and back home, and also health workers to travel from one place to the other.
The BRCS also spearheads the cremation of dead bodies. Since the lockdown was enforced, it has helped cremate nearly 30 bodies. Some 40 people who were stranded in Thimphu due to cremation and funeral rites were also able to go back to their homes through the service.
In Thimphu alone, around 2000 volunteers have registered with the BRSC and they are on standby, ready to execute their duties.
Kinley Dem
