When he found out he had tested positive for Covid-19, Mr JM Jasim, a migrant worker from Bangladesh, felt sad but did not panic.

“I knew Singapore has good medical facilities and will take care of us,” Mr Jasim told The Straits Times.

He was so moved by the care he received that he penned a note in Bengali with a translation in English on Facebook earlier this week, thanking “each and everyone in Singapore who has loved us as their own from the bottom of my heart”.

“During this pandemic, Singapore hasn’t pushed us far away,” wrote the 28-year-old, who has worked here for about seven years, adding that the Government has spent money to battle the coronavirus outbreak among workers in dormitories.

He told ST: “They appreciate our hard work in building their country and now, they take care of us when we are sick.”

The construction safety supervisor was diagnosed on May 5, and is recovering.

He believes he contracted the virus at his Cochrane Lodge II dormitory, an infection cluster with more than 400 cases.

He said migrant workers were looked after in the same way as if they were Singaporean.

“We have left our families and our own dreams to work in this foreign land, but we are not alone in this country,” he said.

Mr Jasim began feeling unwell on May 1, when he developed a fever.

The next day, he felt chest pains, dizziness and headaches.

The symptoms persisted, and he saw a doctor on May 5, and was referred to Khoo Teck Puat Hospital (KTPH), where he had an X-ray and swab tests done.

That night, a nurse told him he had tested positive for Covid-19.

The father of a one-year-old boy broke the news to his parents and 22-year-old wife, who cried.

“But I told them they didn’t have to worry because I would be getting better treatment here, and they calmed down.”

During his stay in hospital, where he was in a ward with seven others, Mr Jasim felt well. His symptoms went away after a few days.

Mr Jasim, who comes from Jessore district in south-west Bangla-desh, stayed in touch with his family through video calls.

The chats mostly revolved around his child. “I miss my son a lot. My son can’t talk much, but he would call me ‘papa, papa’ when he sees me on the screen,” he said.

“I would be so happy that I would forget I was sick.”

However, it was difficult to be so far from home when his son, Tahamidul Hasan, turned one on May 13, his ninth day at KTPH.

“I felt sad that I couldn’t celebrate it with him,” he said.

“I shared with the nurses that it was my son’s birthday, and when they came in, they would ask me to share their wishes with him. I cried because I was so touched.”

On May 19, after two weeks in hospital, Mr Jasim was well enough to be transferred to the Singapore Sports Hub, a temporary accommodation where he is still at.

Throughout the past few weeks, Singaporeans have stepped up to spur him on, said Mr Jasim, who is a contributor for local Bengali newspaper Banglar Kantha.

“Some would message me to ask how I am, others tell me they are here for us,” he said.

When asked why he wrote the Facebook note, Mr Jasim said he simply wanted to convey his appreciation.

In it, he thanked the healthcare workers. “They did not avoid us and took care of us like family,” he said.

Some of the support workers here have received include continued salary payments, free quarantine accommodation and “top-class” medical treatment, he said.

He also thanked non-governmental organisations for their help.

“I am proud of being a migrant worker here,” said Mr Jasim. “When I recover, I want to work hard and contribute back to Singapore.”

Source: Read Full Article