Hyderabad-based NRI turns ambulance driver for helping Covid patients

Tarun Kappala offers free ambulance rides to Covid-19 patients, putting himself on the frontline

Hyderabad: In yet another example of how the tough get going, when the going gets tough, here is Tarun Kappala, a Hyderabad-based NRI from the USA, who is offering free ambulance rides to Covid-19 patients, putting himself on the frontline.

What started off as volunteering to help people in need of medicines and oxygen cylinders for treatment of Covid-19, led to Tarun deciding to help transport Covid patients. It was when he had difficulty finding an ambulance for his friend’s Covid-infected sister, he decided to run an ambulance service and help people reach hospitals at the earliest.

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“Ambulance drivers are overcharging in the hour of need and not many can afford it, this prompted me to reach out to friends back in America, who helped me procure the car for the ambulance service through a Dallas-based organisation called Ethne,” says Tarun.

Answering how tough and hectic providing the service gets, Tarun says he has driven the ambulance about 4,000 kms since he bought it three weeks ago.

“People from rural backgrounds do not always have awareness about this virus, they are often clueless as there is lack of information among them. It is sad that some take advantage of it. That is another reason why I want to be out there and help,” he says.

On being asked how he manages his family and job, he says that Spring ML, the company that he works for has given him a leave, appreciating the services that he is providing and his family, on the other hand, is very proud of him and supports his decision.

Saying that he wants to impact at least 10,000 people, Tarun adds that the emotional responses which he gets after providing help drive him to continue doing his bit.

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