Volunteers of TMMK’s medical wing continue to offer decent farewell to COVID-19 victims

Even whereas observing the daybreak to nightfall Ramadan fasting, volunteers of the medical wing of Tamil Nadu Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam (TMMK) continue the service they began final yr – providing a decent burial/cremation to COVID-19 victims.

The volunteers have up to now provided the service for the burial/cremation of greater than 2,170 individuals from totally different faiths who died of the illness in Tamil Nadu.

“Our volunteers rendered the service for the burial/cremation of 1,820 persons who died of COVID-19 till March 31. More than 350 bodies were handled in April alone, up to Monday,” mentioned M. Mohamed Rafi, State joint secretary of TMMK’s medical wing.

TMMK took up the humanitarian service after seeing reluctance and concern of individuals whereas performing the final rites of their beloved ones who died of COVID-19. The volunteers don’t cost for his or her service. However, prices of the private protecting tools (PPE) utilized by the volunteers, cremation cost, value of digging the grave, and so forth., are borne by the household of the deceased. “If a family is unable to bear these expenses, volunteers try to source money for these expenses from sponsors,” mentioned Mr. Rafi.

The volunteers transport the physique from the hospital to the burial floor or cemetery or crematorium relying on the faith of the deceased. Religious rites, if any, are organized by the family of the deceased. In the case of cremation, they take the physique up to the cremation spot and hand it over to the workers there. If the physique is to be buried, the volunteers do the entire activity.

In the month of Ramadan, the volunteers are working in two shifts. Around 650 volunteers shall be saved standby for the service in a single shift throughout the State.

According to Mr. Rafi, round 50% of the volunteers concerned within the service have taken COVID-19 vaccination and efforts had been being made for the vaccination of others.