CYSD

The 2^nd round conversation of Odisha Civil Society Organisations in response to COVID-19 second wave was convened on 23^rd May 2021.

The discussion was based on some key agenda points, like CSOs preparation for upcoming Cyclone YAAS, Response to Covid-19 Pandemic, and strengthening GO-NGO Coordination/Collaboration. The decisions taken were: 

Cyclone YAAS Preparedness

• As cyclone YAAS would hit Odisha from 24^th May, evacuations have been started in the districts of North Odisha. Thus, the GO-CSO coordination will ensure: i) promotion and adherence of Covid appropriate behaviour at cyclone centers; and ii) allotment of special care centers/ hospitals to the pregnant and lactating mothers.
• Ramping up temperature checking in case of suspicious of Covid infection cases and followed by Rapid Antigen Test (RAT).
• Careful monitoring of discrimination against Dalits during evacuation and allowing them shelters.

Covid-19 Response   

• Vaccination drive would cover awareness creation; assistance in registration; research and analysis of vaccination trend.
• Setting up special action cells for vulnerable groups such as: HIV patients, physically handicapped, farmers, migrant workers, students, etc.
• Mapping of work done by various CSOs using a tracker.
• Recognition of CSOs work by Government and consideration of their field staff as frontline workers;
• Creation of distress fund as well as financial support to people who lost livelihoods due to severe infection or their families who lost lives while continuing to serve the communities.

 Around 127 CSOs representatives participated in the conversation.

Mamata, an Anganwadi Worker from a remote village in Koraput called the Citizen Support Centre (CSC) with a hope that her query could be properly responded. She had received an Oximeter and a Thermometer from the Government to help people in her area during COVID pandemic. However, she didn’t know how to use those.

Mamata, after learning about the CSC immediately dialled on the toll free number to clear her queries.  Her call was answered by one of the CSC team members. The call receiver informed her about the usage of the equipment clearly. She was also advised to watch two informative videos on the subjects prepared by CSC and disseminate the video with other AW workers and Ashas to help them learn the art of using the equipment. Instantly, CSC team member shared the videos on Mamata’s personal WhatsApp number to ease the learning process.

Certainly, the case of Mamata evidences that the tireless efforts of CSC has been reaching the unfathomable areas and yielding fruitful results as envisaged. Like Mamata, 25 other ASHAs, ANMs and volunteers have got their queries clarified after reaching out to the CSC.

With the unpredicted spread of Covid-19 second wave in a lightning speed, the role of frontline worriers/workers at the community level gets multiplied. Observing the aggrieved situation, the Government of Odisha has declared special incentives mentioning that “As ASHAs monitor home isolation cases, they will be provided one time assistance of ₹10,000 for bicycle, cupboard, slippers, umbrella and torch. Sarpanches continue to have the powers of district collectors in enforcing lockdown. Also, ₹10,000 per GKS (Gaon Kalyan Samiti) will be sanctioned for undertaking COVID related activities at village level involving the community”.

However, the ground reality says, ASHAs are serving the community without proper protective equipment along with pulse Oximeter and infrared forehead thermometer with a hope to receive the declared incentive sooner or later. Here the point is, how can ASHAs & AWWs will do door to door survey, without adequate protective preparedness? Besides, ASHAs and AWWs also need volunteers’ support for driving awareness campaign, mobilising tribals for RTPCR test & taking vaccination and monitoring of home quarantines.

To address the above issues, CYSD has joined hands with Kolnara Block administration including CHC/PHCs. After intensive discussions, it was concluded that the AWWs, ASHAs, ANMs along with Volunteers must have N95 face masks, hand Gloves, sanitizer, and soap in adequate quantity to carry out the above activities. Additionally, each frontline worker should have one Oximeter and one infrared forehead thermometer to deal with the situation.

Accordingly, CYSD as part of its obligation towards the  community,   provided hygiene kit (N-95 Mask-1, Surgical Mask-10, Face Shield-1, Hand Glove -2, Sanitizer 100 ML-1, Soap-4) along with Oximeter-1, infrared forehead thermometer-1 to all AW workers, ASHAs, & ANMs of two GPs – Suri & Dunduli, mainly dwelled by Kuvi Kandha tribe in Kolnara block of Rayagada district. Apart from that, a technical orientation was provided to all frontline health workers on the use of oximeter & infrared forehead thermometer in respective Panchayat office premises.

Mamata Himirika, an ASHA worker of Patraput village in Dunduli GP says, “I belong to Kuvi Kandha tribal community, but my community is still having superstition to take the vaccine to fight against COVID-19. Many thanks to CYSD for providing me shield support, like hygiene kit, health equipment and volunteers to help protect my community at this critical hour”.

Abhi Himirika, the Sarapanch of Dunduli GP says, “I have been given collector’s power by the state Government, but in reality, the social mobilisation role played by CYSD is noteworthy. They are motivating people to get vaccinated as the preventive measure as well as providing timely needed support to my people in the Gram Panchayat. Now I am confident that each and every one in my Gram Panchayat is safe and secured”.

The second wave of COVID-19 that started early this year is seeing a downward slope.  Odisha being one of the most competent state in tackling the COVID situation in the country, has put numerous pro-people efforts to pacify the wave.

The State unlike others in the country, avoided religious gatherings. Election rallies that were to happen in different parts of the state in the month of March were immediately cancelled as many parts of the country recorded large number of cases.

However, the period that followed saw hundreds and thousands of cases across the state with the virus penetrating into the rural pockets with inadequate health infrastructure. Districts like Khordha, Sundargarh and Jharsuguda recorded the highest number of cases during the period with many parts of Western Odisha being one of the worst hit due to the second wave.

Civil Society Organisations across the state had a huge role in extending adequate support to people from different sections of the society. From extending hygiene kits in the community to migrant workers to arranging food and shelter for urban homeless and orphan children with the support of government local bodies, CSOs also provided mental health counselling sessions through experts.

Later, in the month of May when the cyclone ‘YAAS’ hit Odisha amidst the second wave, the government and CSOs joined hands to fight it together. Coastal districts of Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Bhadrak were on high alert due to the cyclone. The state effectively evacuated people of the area following COVID guidelines and took special care of pregnant women with the help and consultation of civil society organisations. Almost 300 babies were born in the state on the day of the cyclone.

The government was efficient in preparing for maximum number of medicines, hospital beds, ventilator and oxygen cylinders required in the second phase. Strict lockdown measures have been imposed to control the rising number of cases. CSOs have been instrumental in assisting health-workers, executing required programmes and spreading awareness on the ground. Numerous CSOs in the state like CYSD have also extended protection gears, oxygen cylinders and other important equipment to fight COVID in the community.

Support, cooperation and coordination between the government, the civil society organisations and the people of the state have been successful in dragging the COVID graph down.

After battling depression, loneliness, joblessness and pay cuts for the last one year since the Covid-19 pandemic, people had just begun to relax. They were expecting some respite from the threat of Coronavirus this year, but the second wave has dealt an even harsher blow to them.  Many poor innocent fellows like, Kumara Nayak succumbed to Covid-19 leaving his last breath within the clutch of the deadly virus.

Kumara is no more with us – is just unbelievable! A young man of 46 years, housekeeping- sweeper in profession was no less than a Covid Warrior. Keeping office floors cleaned and sanitised with his charismatic hands always used to bring freshness in office premises. His doubled obligation to ensure proper cleanliness and hygiene hardly allows him to take breathing space. While at work in early morning, Kumara’s smiling face offers a pleasing welcome to rest of the staff members.

Kumar, being a low paid daily wage earner was struggling for a sustained livelihoods. Additionally, he was earning some money through driving a hired auto-rickshaw on reservation basis in leisure hours. He was managing a four-membered family – wife Rina (homemaker), a young daughter of 17 and a son of 12 years. Daughter ‘Kaberi’ has completed High School Certificate Examination and could not pursue higher education due to father’s loss of job during first phase of Covid and son ‘Krishna’ is continuing his 7^th Std. Despite the impact of Covid, Kumar was managing to keep his family happy.

Kumara never thought of that his auto-rickshaw service will one day take his life by carrying a Covid positive patient to hospital and leave his family in complete darkness. He struggled hard to survive. Financial crisis and fear of stigma around his residential colony at Mangala Nagar, Salia Sahi slum (Jayadev Vihar) under Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation constrained him to expose about his infection. He could have survived if proper medical care or simple medication was given early or CYSD staff members could have been informed regarding his positive case.

Losing their father both the children are speechless and wife has gone to deep psychological depression. They are not yet ready to accept the fact that their only bread earning member is no more to offer them a full square meal. Schooling for two impoverished children will be a day-dream now. Can Rina be able to feed her children at this harsh Covid pandemic situation? She fears, in case her children will sleep empty stomach in coming days.

In the morning of 22nd May, Minakshi Panda, a member of the tele-medicine team of the Citizen’s Support Centre (CSC) received a phone call. A woman named Menaka Pradhan from Kalyanpur of Khurda district was on the other end asking for help. Menaka’s husband Bijaya was ill and the family was unable to receive any support from neighbours and others in the village suspecting him as Corona patient. Finding no other way, Menaka reached out to CSC for help.

After listening to her carefully, Minakshi understood that Menaka’s husband had symptoms of COVID-19. He was suffering from fever, cough & cold for last three days. Immediately Minakshi connected her with Dr. Soumen Roy, the medical practitioner. The doctor prescribed her the required medicines and assured that her husband would recover soon.

The prescription details were also sent to her by the CSC telemedicine team and the team took regular updates from Menaka on her husband’s health status for the next 5 days. Dr. Roy was consulted thrice as Menaka and her children started showing mild symptoms as well. The family was closely monitored by the telemedicine team and the right medicines were prescribed by Dr. Roy for them.

On 27th May, Menaka & Bijaya without anxieties informed the CSC that they were free from Covid symptoms. “It is indeed a rebirth of our family”, said Menaka while paying their sincere gratitude to the CSC Team for helping them during such crisis.

“I am fortunate and feel proud to be a part of CYSD’s Covid Response Team to protect the community. I am fully oriented on how to fight against Coronavirus while serving the community. The Health Administration should take us in to their confidence and use our power and art of mobilisation, as we know the local Kui-language. Through our collective efforts and courage, Coronavirus will certainly disappear from our communities and from our region too” says Murali Kadraka, who is committed to devote his full time for mass motivation.