The BEST Undertaking has been the only public transport that has worked without a single day’s halt and its employees got adequate medical attention throughout the lockdown period, with the International Labour Organisation endorsing its efforts.
Dr Manali Raut will be one of the star guests at BEST’s Dadar workshop on International Women’s Day
A medical officer and doctor with the BEST, who chose to work from Day 1 of the lockdown, to the last day of her pregnancy, will be one of the star guests at BEST Women’s Day function at its Dadar workshop on International Women’s Day on Monday. The BEST Undertaking has been the only public transport that has worked without a single day’s halt and its employees got adequate medical attention throughout the lockdown period, with the International Labour Organisation endorsing its efforts.
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The BEST has not stopped services for a single day, even as Mumbai local trains came to a halt. The staff of the BEST Undertaking remained on the forefront all the time, adjusting and meeting demands of essential workers.
Pregnant cause
“I have been a medical officer with the BEST Undertaking, and it was on March 19 that I learnt I was pregnant. The lockdown started on March 22 and things changed. It was the most challenging period for everyone, and the onus was on the medical department to offer support to its staff. I decided to take up the challenge and worked throughout the nine-month period,” Dr Manali Raut said. Raut said she delivered a boy in November 2020 and has been on maternity leave since but will visit the Dadar workshop on Monday for the event where she will be felicitated.
The International Labour Organisation (IO) has picked up the BEST Undertaking, the only transport organisation in India so far, for the best health and wellness approach for its 40,000 employees, while handling the pandemic. As frontline workers, BEST staff from the transport and electricity wings have also taken the vaccination drive head-on with over 50 per cent already vaccinated for future protection. BEST Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr Anilkumar Singal said it was only because of such sincere colleagues that BEST was able to show unparalleled progress.