Tuk-Tuks Transformed into Ambulances for Transporting COVID-19 Patients

The government of India's capital, New Delhi, has decided to convert a number of "tuk-tuks" into temporary ambulances for transporting COVID-19 patients to hospitals, due to a shortage of ambulances. The Delhi government, in collaboration with a charitable organization, has equipped more than 12 tuk-tuks with hand sanitizers, masks, and oxygen cylinders as needed. The service, which officially began on Tuesday, is provided free of charge. Tuk-tuk driver Raj Kumar is transporting patients to Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital, the largest medical facility in the capital, which is overwhelmed with COVID-19 patients. Kumar stated, "We all need to help each other during this difficult time to get out of this situation." A plastic barrier separates the driver from the passengers in the back. Calling for an ambulance has become extremely difficult due to the significant rise in COVID-19 cases that has exceeded the healthcare system’s capacity. Indian families have been forced to make special arrangements, including paying large sums to private ambulance companies to transport infected individuals to hospitals.