bskusum@gmail.com
Obstruction
Health care project supported by HSHR and The Runnebaum Foundation, Germany was obstructed this year after April onward because of lockdown announced by the Government of India due to Covid 19. No one could go out even for buying anything of his/her essential need including food and water. Travelling was completely stopped within the Mohalla (ward), street, colony or the city. Cross border (within and outside the state) travelling was completely restricted. It is now being slowly opened with a condition to live in quarantine for 14 days. Therefore, as neither the nurse nor any of GBS staff personnel could travel, visiting the community women to provide them with health care services was postponed temporarily.
Anjana, the nurse has got offer from a private hospital for a job nurse to provide services for the corona-affected patients, and she asked GBS for a temporary permission to join the hospital. But looking at the need of her services when the lockdown is ended in couple of months we decided to keep her continued in our project. Permission was obtained from HSHR and the Runnebaum Foundation in this regard. Thus she was paid salaries for the month of April, May and half of June without work.
Nurse dispensing medicines to a patient in Koliyon ki dhaani
During the lockdown period GBS, in collaboration with the local Government engaged in supplying food packets, sanitizers, washable masks, sanitary napkins etc. among the migrants who were wandering here and there without any shelter, slum dwellers and the daily wage earners etc. with support from some donors, factory owners and the state Government. This work was accelerated with support from HSHR and the Runnebaum Foundation. It is still going on and would be continued till the end of July, when the effect of covid 19 is likely to be reduced.
Health care services reinstated
The health care services restarted from June 15, 2020 after a short pause of couple of months. The first visit was paid to village Koliyon ki dhaani. Anjana, the nurse accompanied by Kusum Lata Jain, Secretary and Sarita Yogi, project Coordinator, GBS travelled to the village together with food packets, medicines, sanitizers, masks and sanitary napkins for the women and girls.
Anjana diagnosing and treating the patient while others are waiting for their turn
In the beginning, the women of the village were made wash their hands with sanitizer and then masks were distributed among them. They were taught as how to use the masks covering their mouth and nose properly. Then food packets were distributed and asked to sit on the floor keeping minimum distance of one meter with each other. After completing this round the nurse started to diagnose the patients those who had come over there for getting medicines for their sickness.
Sarita and Kusum motivating the women (Left) and Anjana issuing medicines (Right) in Pawta
While Anjana described the women as how to protect them from the risk of infection with corona by wearing mask while going outside the house, wash their hands regularly and keep distance from everyone they were meeting, Kusum Jain advised them to avoid to go to the crowded places, not to spit here and there and wash hands when coming back to home from outside. Eighty women were diagnosed and dispensed medicines for different diseases they found affected with in Koliyon ki dhaani alone and total 630 were provided with medicines in all the fourteen villages visited during past 8 days:
Sarita and Kusum describing the women how to protect from corona
Many of the women were found anemic, whereas scabies, leucorrhea, eye infections, pain in teeth and gums etc. were the general diseases diagnosed by the nurse among the women.
Sarita and Nurse dispensing medicines to a patient in Kachrala ki Dhani, Kukas
Sarita and Nurse dispensing medicines to a patient in village Jugalpura