Who is a hero? In the land of more than a billion, it tends to be someone who can rouse an audience in a rally, serenade on the silver screen or wield a cricket bat with aplomb.
Over the last two years, however, the pandemic of Covid-19 has required a different kind of hero to emerge. Nameless and faceless, these are the heroes who have quietly gone about serving society, striving with precision and patience in the midst of precarity while the rest of us remain cooped up inside our homes. These are the heroes who form a part of the frontline workers assembled by the medical fraternity to combat a generational crisis.
General manager Vinod Jain identifies the camaraderie at RB Diagnostic as one of the main factors behind their outstanding work during the pandemic Ritagnik Bhattacharya
“When something like Covid-19 arrives at your doorstep, you need a total team effort to fight it. We have to take responsibility and remain motivated to serve the people, to serve the city,” says Vinod Jain, general manager of RB Diagnostic.
According to Jain, no other medical facility in Kolkata has conducted RT-PCR tests for Covid-19 with greater speed than RB Diagnostic. While such efficiency is impossible without collective coordination, some individuals have gone above and beyond to fulfill their role as members of the frontline.
My Kolkata unveils three such individuals who have turned into Covid heroes across the three waves of the pandemic. No longer nameless or faceless, here are their stories of extraordinary service during extraordinary times.
The star collector
Biswajit Kundu loves his music and tries to watch cricket whenever his schedule lets him Ritagnik Bhattacharya
Imagine visiting close to 40 separate households every day to collect Covid test samples and putting yourself at risk of contracting the virus every time you approach a potential patient. For Biswajit Kundu, 36, a resident of Baguiati, there is no need to imagine, for this has been his daily reality.
“Initially, I was scared while collecting the samples, but my fear went away quickly. It had to,” says Kundu, softly but with intent. For Kundu, who did get infected last September, collecting samples is all about two things – speed and security. “The samples have to be collected on time and delivered to the labs on time, generally within a period of two hours. I also have to ensure that the patients feel safe and secure while giving their samples. Their comfort is of the utmost importance.”
What is the biggest challenge Kundu has faced while collecting the samples?
“A lot of people end up clutching at the swab while it is being inserted into their nose. That can be dangerous as it can result in blood loss. This is why, as a phlebo (phlebotomist), I always ask patients not to touch anything, but simply to let me know if they feel any inconvenience or discomfort,” replies Kundu.
The place where test samples are processed after the likes of Kundu collect them and bring them in Ritagnik Bhattacharya
A father of two, Kundu generally sets off for work at seven in the morning. During the ongoing third wave and the rapid transmission of the Omicron variant, Kundu has been the busiest, returning home no sooner than nine in the evening.
“It can be stressful, of course. But you gradually get used to it. For me, the most satisfying thing about my job is when patients specifically ask for me to come and collect their samples while making their bookings. There have been plenty of families I have visited to collect samples more than once,” smiles Kundu.
Self-effacing and borderline shy to talk about his exceptional commitment, Kundu is quick to credit the rest of the staff at RB Diagnostic for their support and synergy. Foremost among them are the Customer Support Representatives (CSRs) who communicate with patients to streamline the entire testing process.
The voices offering all-time assistance
‘She’s the best boss one can ask for,’ says Suhita (left) about Mithu Mukherjee Ritagnik Bhattacharya
“We have been able to create a fantastic work environment that actually allows us to remain energised and be there for each other,” describes Mithu Mukherjee, 33, head of the CSR team at RB Diagnostic.
A resident of Howrah, Mithu was an employee at JustDial before switching sectors in November 2020. Since joining RB Diagnostic, Mithu has “injected my work into my life”.
An instrumental part of the team under Mithu is Suhita Mukherjee, 35, who is also from Howrah. A school teacher for several years, Suhita was a homemaker with two kids when the pandemic struck. “Someone asked me if I wanted to receive a few calls and help with arranging for testing. I had no reason to decline,” says Suhita.
A “few calls” have turned out to be somewhere between 250 and 350 per day for Suhita, with similar numbers being notched up by Mithu as well. “The average daily time on the phone spent by a CSR staff member was as high as 12 hours during the second wave of the pandemic. That was also the time when we were getting the most distress calls,” observes Mithu.
Vinod Jain corroborates this, adding that “sometimes people would just call and weep, as they had no idea how to get themselves or a loved one tested”. As cases surged during the second wave and doctors and lab technicians were getting overwhelmed, Suhita and Mithu, along with the rest of their CSR colleagues, were on the phone pretty much all the time.
Suhita Mukherjee, a former school teacher, enjoys reading ‘Pratilipi’ Ritagnik Bhattacharya
“We had neighbours calling in to request someone to test a patient who had nobody in their family. We had women who had just given birth desperate for a negative test to ensure they would not pose any threat to their babies. It was chaotic,” narrates Suhita with a matter-of-fact composure.
Mithu, in contrast, is more expressive, even ebullient, while speaking. The mother of two notes how “calls during the third wave have mostly been about enquiries and logistical doubts, rather than the emotional frenzy that took over during large chunks of 2021”.
How do Suhita and Mithu keep themselves occupied when they are not on the phone attending to patients? “I quite like painting and singing, but above all, reading. I have Pratilipi installed on my phone and regularly peruse it,” says Suhita. Mithu, meanwhile, is fond of anything that is remotely connected with her “favourite” Tollywood actor Jeet.
Mithu Mukherjee considers Tollywood’s Jeet to be her favourite Ritagnik Bhattacharya
“I have met Jeet twice in my life and I absolutely cherish both those moments. The wallpaper on my phone is a picture with him. Whenever I can, I listen to songs from his films,” admits Mithu.
Does Suhita have any such “favourite” of her own? “I just love my husband and kids,” chuckles Suhita, but Mithu is ready with a repartee: “She has many favourites, not just one like me!”
The genial banter between Mithu and Suhita is indicative of the overall camaraderie that has allowed them to deal with the pandemic without losing their smile.
Jain estimates that RB Diagnostic’s main lab in Lake Town is currently equipped to test a maximum of 2,500 Covid samples every day Ritagnik Bhattacharya