Covid-19: Kohima Baptist pastors offer free food, ambulance and counselling

Our Correspondent
Kohima, May 25 (EMN): In an effort to help people affected by Covid-19, the Kohima Baptist Pastors' Fellowship (KBPF) on Tuesday has taken the initiative to provide free meals to underprivileged patients at isolation centres, free ambulance service (24×7) for ferrying mortal remains of Covid related deaths and is offering phone/online counselling and prayers.

While free meals and ambulance service is limited to Kohima, persons affected by Covid-19 in need of counselling and prayers irrespective of location can reach out to pastors.

Speaking to Eastern Mirror, General Secretary of KBPF, Vezopa Rhakho said that the fellowship has appealed to all its 53 churches, seeking financial contributions toward the success of the initiative.

'We are trying to make a pool of funds', he said, adding that churches would contribute according to their capacity. The pastor expressed hope for a positive response from the churches.

He said that they would be giving free ambulance service to ferry the Covid dead bodies either to their homes from Covid centres/hospitals or to cemeteries within Kohima.

However, to avail the (free ambulance) service, the pastor of the individual concerned must first recommend it to KBPF (through phone) from any location.

It may be mentioned that KBPF manages the government owned cemetery located below BSF camp, Keyake. ‘While ferrying dead bodies to this cemetery would be free, one has to pay INR 1000 as registration fee and INR 5000 for an already dug grave,’ he added.

‘Not everyone who stays in isolation centres are equal, some could not afford to pay for their daily meals. The KBPF therefore plans to pay meal expenses of those among the poorest of the poorest, from time to time,’ Rhakho said.

It was last year that churches under KBPF in collaboration with Kohima District Task Force volunteered manpower, and made donations in cash and kind towards management of Bethel Kitchen that was run to provide meals to returnees/staff staying in quarantine centres.