TURA, June 8 : West Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner, Ram Singh, held a meeting with the officials of the Health Department, religious leaders and the representatives of the NGOs at DRDA Multi Facility Hall, Tura, on 8 May, to discuss the ways to build the knowledge and capacity of the communities at the household level to understand the importance of Covid-19 appropriate behaviors and the need for early testing, diagnosis and treatment of very virulent Covid-19 strain in the second wave.
Highlighting the Covid-19 situation and the dissemination of information by the DIPR in the district, the Deputy Commissioner informed that the fatality rate in Tura has come down to 7%.
Informing the declining positivity rate of Covid-19 in the district, the Deputy Commissioner, stressed on the need to follow the Covid appropriate behavior and to provide psychological and spiritual counseling services. He also urged the BDOs to motivate the rural people to get vaccinated and to adopt the Covid appropriate behavior and sought the cooperation of all concerned in the society.
While responding to the queries by the representative of the Mothers’ Union, the Deputy Commissioner informed that the shopkeepers will not be allowed to sell to the customers without masks and the violation will lead to cancellation of licenses and asked the Superintendent of Police, VS Rathore, to hold a meeting with the Bazar Committee. Further, the DC also informed that the laborers who are not vaccinated will not be allowed to work in the main market and supermarket.
During the meeting, the Director of Bakdil NGO, Fr. Sunny Malvelil, suggested interaction with the villagers at PHC level besides mobile announcement by the DIPR in order to motivate the rural masses to spread the awareness on the key role of Covid-19 protocols and the importance of behavioral change