‘Trust deficit’ hampers drive in villages

Manav Mander
Tribune News Service
Ludhiana, May 21

Though the government has launched Mission Fateh 2.0 focusing on the rural population with an aim to conduct sampling/ testing on large scale, the trust deficit between villagers and health officials is hampering the process.

To make things worse, every village is not equipped with adequate facilities and even the department has failed to arrange the required number of camps on their doorstep.

24-hr control room

• To cater to the rural population, the Ludhiana administration on Friday set up a dedicated 24-hour Covid control room
• Set up at the Government Girls’ College, Bharat Nagar Chowk, it is equipped with a team of doctors, counsellors, teachers and trained youngsters
• A helpline, 0161-2403111, has also been started to assist villagers in any infection-related issue

Joginder Singh from Lalton Kalan village said there was no dispensary in their village and they were forced to go to the neighbouring village for any health-related issue. “Around 60-70 people have tested positive in our village and five have even died. There is no testing facility in the village and a camp was held after many people tested positive. People are still reluctant and are not coming forward to get tested,” he said.

Riyasat Ali from Ramgarh village in Jagraon defeated Covid in April 2020. On vaccination, he said: “I am not suffering from any disease. Why should I get vaccinated?”

Paramjeet Singh from Bundli village near Samrala said trust factor was important and played a major role in rural areas. “It is very difficult to change the mindset of villagers who have lost faith in the government. They are under the impression that whoever goes to the hospital doesn’t come back as many died after being admitted to hospital in our village. They avoid getting tested. There is no dispensary in our village and people have to go to Ghalewal village for any treatment,” he said.

He said to get tested, villagers had to go to Samrala. A vaccination camp was held 15 days ago and only 150 doses were administered as the department ran out of stock. “When some people mustered courage to get the jab, the camp was called off,” he said.

Takarwal village sarpanch Amarjit Singh said they were not holding any “tikri pehras”. A vaccination camp was held for five days and now the next camp is awaited. “People are terrified of getting tested and the after-situation in case they test positive,” he said.

Meanwhile, the district administration today set up a 24-hour Covid control room in the Government Girls’ College, Bharat Nagar Chowk, here and started an exclusive helpline 0161-2403111 for villagers.

Ludhiana DC Varinder Kumar Sharma said a team of doctors, counsellors, teachers and trained youths had been deputed to run the war room. “The administration needs the active support of the public to conquer the deadly second wave,” he added.

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