ASIA/INDIA - Young Catholics volunteer to assist Covid patients

Bangalore (Agenzia Fides) - A group of young Catholic volunteers, nuns and priests in the Archdiocese of Bangalore, in the state of Karnataka, in southern India, has begun to assist patients affected by Covid-19 while India is in full swing of the second wave of infections that has brought the country to its knees.
"The initiative, undertaken in the Archdiocese of Bangalore, is launched in collaboration with the Camillian fathers", explains to Fides Fr. Anil D'Sa, secretary of the Commission for Youth of the Archdiocese, explaining the motto that inspires the initiative: "Do to others what you want to be done to you". "The assistance program started thanks to the idea of the group "Yova Chethan" ("Youth Consciousness") and other young Catholic volunteers and religious nuns", explained Fr. D'Sa, Salesian priest. "Young people have seen with pain that the whole country is in serious danger and distress as hospitals in India are facing a shortage of oxygen supplies, medicines and beds, as the number of cases of coronavirus in the country reached 20 million on May 3", he notes. The team of properly trained young volunteers cares for Covid patients in various hospitals in and around Bangalore, the capital of the state of Karnataka. "It can seem like a drop in an ocean as medical staff are facing tremendous stress and pressure due to the hundreds of patients", explained Fr. D'Sa. "But having the courage to get involved and to serve in these crucial moments is important, it is a concrete sign of Christian charity and love of neighbor", he adds. "We take care of Covid patients, we stay close to them and share their suffering", says Francis D'Souza, a young volunteer to Fides. "With volunteer priests and religious nuns, on the advice of doctors, we provide material assistance to Covid patients and we try to be attentive also to the needs of spiritual nature", says D’Souza. "After eight hours of volunteering at Catholic hospitals, such as St Philomena and St. John hospitals, at the end of the day we pray for patients and health workers", he concludes. The program has been running for about a week, "and this volunteer program for the good of Covid patients is full of challenges, it takes great courage and faith to serve in hospitals today", notes Camillian brother Madhu. "The Catholic youth volunteer service, together with priests and nuns, to help Covid patients is commendable", said Sister Elizabeth Rani K, JMJ Administrator, St. Philomena Hospital. India, the second populated country in the world with over 1.3 billion inhabitants, is in the grip of a devastating second wave of Covid with over 300,000 cases per day. (SD-PA) (Agenzia Fides, 4/5/2021)

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healthcare

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youth

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pandemic

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coronavirus

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