Superhero Nurse and Youths Help Transport Sick Man
“We discovered the house in a secluded place.” Mr Ratuva said.
Monday 04 September 2023 | 10:16
Intern Nurse Iliesa Ratuva is helped by young men from the Qwali settlement carry a patient from the settlement into the ambulance which was parked a mile away.
The unsung heroes of today are no doubt health professionals, among whom nurses play a key role.
On Saturday, in the upper reaches of Sigatoka terrain, intern nurse Iliesa Ratuva, 23, defied all odds and saved a sick man.
A viral video on social media showed the young man leading a group of men from the hilly terrains walking nearly a mile, and crossing a creek to where the ambulance was parked.
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Mr Ratuva, who hails from Nasama Village in Nadroga Province, displayed an astonishing critical thinking skills and patient care.
The Sigatoka District Hospital had received an emergency call for a patient to be transported from a settlement in Qwali in the outskirts of Sigatoka Town at around 10am.
“We discovered the house in a secluded place.” Mr Ratuva said.
“I did not even know where the house was; we tried to spot someone who would direct us.
“When we got to the house, I saw the patient and called out to him, but he could not respond.
“When he saw me, he grabbed my hands and I saw tears flowing from his eyes.
“The driver waited with the patient as I walked to get the stretcher.
“On my way to the ambulance, I prayed and asked God to help me.
Fortunately, on his way to the ambulance he saw a group of men and sought help.
“We picked the stretcher, and trekked to where the house was.
“We left the stretcher at the lower point of the hill as we carried the man from the house.
“As we wheeled him, I noticed the patient grabbing my hands to say something.
“I figured that he was in pain, I asked the men for us to lift him from where we were.
“We kept walking, taking a few rests along the way.
“I bathed and cleaned him before he was transferred to Lautoka Hospital. He was really sick.”
He said the work of a nurse was about patience and endurance.
“Nurses are going through a lot, but I want to encourage nurses to hold on the torch and the baton to move forward,” Mr Ratuva said.
“Despite the shortage and being underpaid, we hope the new Government will bring change.”
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