A civil servant was just about to sign out for the day when he received a call to take an elderly man and a pregnant woman to the hospital.

It was already after 10 pm on Tuesday and Commissioner Western office driver, Varea Waqa, had had a long day and could not wait to get home.

But when he got a call from the Lautoka Hospital, all thoughts of tiredness and home were gone as he quickly responded to the call of duty.

Mr Waqa said assisting the vulnerable during natural disasters or times of crisis was not unusual in his 13 years of work.

Mr Waqa drove a pregnant woman of Chandmari Street in Lautoka and an elderly man from Lovu Settlement to the Lautoka Hospital.

“They called the hospital and the hospital called the office. I was just punching out to go home so I just decided to go and help get the man from Lovu,” he said.

“We carried him to the van. He was 60 years plus with chest pains, maybe a heart problem, the pregnant woman was having complications.”

The civil servant who hails from Baitiki, Lomaiviti, said he first picked up a nurse from the Lautoka Hospital then drove to Lovu Settlement and then to Chandmari Street.

The 46-year-old hopes that other members of the public will show consideration towards those who are in unfortunate circumstances during this COVID-19 pandemic.

“I think it’s our job to assist them during this time, what we are going through now the current situation,” he said.

Edited by Ranoba Baoa

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