Kerala millionnaire turns ambulance driver

A 38-year-old Kozhikode based businessman Rasheed Keemeri was the first COVID-19 patient who carried the virus from China in January this year. Five days after he landed in Kerala, he was admitted to Kozhikode Medical College Hospital (KMCH). He was the very first patient at KMCH to be treated for COVID. 

The experience in the isolation ward for 6 days changed the man for good. “When I was brought in, the isolation ward at KMCH, even the two nurses were clueless on how to deal with it,” said Rasheed an interior design contractor who owns multiple business verticals in West Asia.

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As a person who has never been admitted to a hospital, he couldn’t grapple with the realities of being in a government hospital. But soon, as symptoms began to peak, the doctors gave their best shot and helped Rasheed win the fight against the virus in 6 days. 

“These were the slowest 6 days of my life. The virus indeed opened up my eyes,” said Rasheed, and added, “I was a person who felt 24 hours was not enough to do business, but priorities in life became clear to me in those 6 days.” 

 

There was public vilification against him and his family for not taking enough precautions while traveling from China. Just after getting discharged, he took his family to Dubai for three weeks fearing their safety and came back with a resolve to give back to the community. Last week, a local charity was in need of a driver to transport people who showed COVID-19 recurrence while in quarantine set up by the local body. Rasheed volunteered to do the job. Soon, he also began transporting people in the containment zone for sample testing at the nearest CHC. He also sanitized homes of people who were found positive in testing centers.

“The family members feared to get back to their own home. So, with the PPE kit and materials procured from my medical equipment business in Dubai, I disinfected their homes,” he said.

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In the last few days, Rasheed has transported 8 patients and disinfected two homes. “This is the least I can do for those doctors and medical staff who are working round the clock.” Patients who took his service call him daily in gratitude. “This feeling is priceless,” he said with a contented smile.