FLIGHT AGAINST COVID 19 – Developing Indigenous Resources-India

DISTRIBUTION

AWARENESS

IMMUNIZATION

MA KA AHAAR

FIGHT AGAINST COVID-19 PANDEMIC

New Year Eve of December 2019 started with the unpleasant global news around the
world with a large number of casualties in Wuhan city in China due to Coronavirus, which
got recognised as WuhanVirus, a terror virus which took lives of millions across the world.

WHO declared the Corona virus to be a global pandemic on 30 th January 2020 and on 11th
February 2020 this virus got a new name as COVID-19 Pandemic .

On 31st January 2020, the first case of Coronavirus was reported in India – a student from
Kerala who had come from China.

The first case of COVID-19 was reported in Chandigarh on 19th March 2020 , when a 23-
year-old woman returned home from London, UK. This raised alarm in the Tricity area as
three members of the same family got infected and thereafter the number of infected
patients kept increasing.

DIR-India in anticipation started classes on Coronavirus for Health Promoters on 20th

January 2020 because China being the neighbouring country, entry of this virus is

inevitable.

Three steps for prevention of Coronavirus were demonstrated in the Basti through

committee meetings.Health Promoters made Health Charts and Posters which gave the

community a better understanding on Covid-19 Pandemic. The awareness and education

of the deadly virus in the slums of Janta Colony, Safeda Colony and Dhanas was important

as it had no treatment or vaccine to save the infected individual and the virus was

extremely contagious. It is heartening to announce that DIR-INDIA’s adopted area with a

population of 20,000 approximately did not have a single case of Coronavirus.

Standard guidelines for prevention of the spread of Covid-19 Pandemic were explained with live demonstration.

Classes of health promoters were taken on immunity building, proning technique, breathing exercises and post covid care.

COVID -19 relief program

COVID-relief activities started at DIR India on 30th March 2020. These activities were made possible due to the support of our donors. Our medical team and senior staff had identified 173 families, mostly migrant laborers whose livelihood was dependent on daily wages. DIR was deeply concerned about pregnant mothers and malnourished children.

Our field staff, popularly known as Health Promoters, are local residents of Janta Colony. Grocery store distribution for needy women was not difficult.

Hampers made of rice, wheat flour, lentils or daals, soya bean nuggets, sugar, tea leaves, salt, spices and cooking oil were distributed to all families by Health Promoters. Health Promoters, being frontline workers were provided with face shields,masks and sanitizers. They took all precautions for their personal safety against Covid-19 by maintaining a safe social distance of 6ft.

During 2020-2021 Developing Indigenous Resources continued distributing grocery stores to needy families including old women. As I mentioned earlier, our Health Promoters are the local residents of the Janta Colony who ensured the feeding of every hungry stomach during the dark period of Covid-19 Pandemic with full dedication and zeal by risking their own life for social causes .

During the lockdown period from 24th March 2020 to 3rd April DIR-INDIA distributed grocery stores to 2151 households with 6866 beneficiaries. We are extremely grateful to all our donors who made this possible.

In August 2020 Ma Foundation collaborated with DIR-INDIA and sent funds for feeding 200 families. This way the DIR-INDIA’s feeding program is running under project NIPP sponsored by donors and Ma ka Aahar sponsored by Ma Foundation and taking care of 131 underprivileged needy families especially malnourished children.pregnant and lactating mothers and old women neglected by the family members.

COVID-19 immunization

DIR conducted a door to door survey in the adopted area to find out the statistics and myths among the population regarding the COVID-19 immunization. Health promoters along with senior staff motivated the population in the slum regarding the safety and importance of COVID- 19 vaccine. Most of the families residing in our adopted area understood the need of immunization as they were aware that the coronavirus is fatal.