Bhiwani’s swift response to cases proves effective

Deepender Deswal

Tribune News Service

Bhiwani, April 20

The district administration’s approach to reach out to local residents to fulfil their essential needs coupled with the quick response to trace out the contacts of the three positive cases in various villages have proved effective in containing the outbreak of the Covid infection in the district so far.

The district Health Department teams had reacted swiftly to positive cases detected in Sandwa and Manheru villages on April 4. These two persons had visited the Nizamuddin event and tested positive on returning home.

A detailed containment plan was formed immediately after the two positive cases of Covid were diagnosed in these villages. Their family members and other contacts tested negative.

While the patients were quarantined and treated successfully in the civil hospital, the health authorities carried out door-to-door influenza-like illness (ILI) and severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) testing for every resident in the two villages.

A similar testing campaign was carried out in Rohnat village as a local resident, posted as jail warder in a jail in Gurugram, tested positive in Gurugram and is admitted in the civil hospital there.

Deputy Commissioner Ajay Kumar stated that the administration launched a mobile app ‘Bhiwani Bazaar’ for people to get groceries, medicines and other essentials on their doorstep during the lockdown.

“A dedicated helpline was set up to handle queries of customers. They were given the option to call and send messages over WhatsApp to the vendors to ease communication. Movement passes and necessary logistics for the vendors were made available by the district administration,” he said.

The district authorities also started door-to-door distribution of ration to BPL and other eligible families free of cost.

“We realised that two aspects were crucial regarding distribution of ration. First, it needs to be distributed at the earliest possible to eliminate any hardship faced by the card holders. Second, the ration needs to be delivered on the doorstep of every card holder to avoid crowding at PDS depots,” said the DC.

He informed that around 400 vehicles and 826 helpers were hired by the depot holders at their own expense and to ensure delivery of ration.

“In the first week of April, 1.25 lakh card holders were delivered ration on their doorstep, thanks to the volunteering spirit among the officials, depot holders and gram panchayats,” he said, adding that 5,000 packets of dry ration were supplied to needy people in slums.

Civil Surgeon Dr Jitender Kadian maintained that presently, 141 teams of the Health Department have embarked on complete scanning of residents across the district.