Amid the Covid-19 crisis, many people have stepped forward to extend help in the best possible way they can. The frontline workers play an integral role in tackling the pandemic situation in India which has put human lives in danger.

After the news of an auto-rickshaw turned to an ambulance, food providing vans, meet a doctor from Bengaluru, who runs a mobile clinic to treat the Covid-19 patients.

Every morning at 8 am, Dr. Sunil Kumar Hebbi takes his car out to serve humanity by not going his to his clinic or hospital, but to take his mobile clinic to treat patients in their homes.

Dr. Hebbi is running this mobile clinic for the past 10 years through his Matru Siri Foundation to treat the poor free of charge. However, the current Covid-19 crisis has forced him to be on double duty.

During the day, he treats patients through his mobile clinic, and since the first week of April, he has been working the night shift at the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike Covid Care Centre in Goripalya.

Amidst such tough times, 37-year-old Dr Hebbi manages to take some time off work to sleep between 1-3 pm and between midnight and early rounds after his duty at the Covid Care Centre. 

It is to be noted here that Dr Hebbi, born and brought up in Vijayapura, came up with this idea while he was working at BGS Hospital in Bengaluru. In 2011, he decided to quit his job to start a mobile clinic, with just two full-time workers, Dr Hebbi himself and a nurse.

However, an assistant doctor and a nurse would volunteer with him.

To turn his sedan into a well equipped mobile clinic, his associates helped him to raise Rs 2 lakh through donations. In his mobile clinic, there is an ECG machine, oxygen concentrator and cylinder, medicines for common illnesses such as cold, cough, fever.

Since the outbreak of Covid, Dr. Hebbi has treated nearly 250 cases of contagious infection.

“I generally deal with mild and asymptomatic Covid-19 cases. I first inquire about the patient’s vitals and try my best to offer telemedicine service. If the situation demands it, I drive to the patients’ homes,” said Dr. Hebbi.

Apart from medical consultation, Dr. Hebbi never hesitates to answer other calls so he can extend his help to the person in need. 

In his daily schedule, Dr Hebbi treats 10-12 patients a day, sometimes travelling 120 km all over the city.

Expressing concern over the distressing situation, Dr Hebbi said, “The rise in petrol prices and the high demand for medicines and logistics is making it difficult for me to sustain this model. Although I finalised a deal to buy a second-hand Tempo Traveller, the dealer did not get back to me. I am struggling to raise funds now.”