Prevention and Management of Corona Virus Food Shelters Near Me
As you all know, a new respiratory disease called Corona Virus Diseases finds in 2019 coined as COVID19 is spreading across the world. India has also reported cases from states and the Government is trying to contain the spread of the infection.
Before moving further towards Initiative & important Measures taken by HLFPPT, let’s know about COVID19 first.
COVID-19 is a disease caused by the “novel coronavirus”. Coronavirus (CoV) are a large family of viruses that causes illness ranging from common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) and Severe Actute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV) .
Novel Coronavirus or COVID19 is a highly contaigious diseases that can present itself varied symptoms such as cough, fever, or difficulty in breathing. Infection is spread through droplets generated by coughing and sneezing or through prolonged contact with infected patients. Other common symptoms are: Fever, Dry cough, Breathing difficulty, some patients also have aches and pains, nasal congestion, runny nose, sore throat or Diarrhoea.
About 80% of confirmed cases recover from the disease without any serious complications. However, one out of every six people who get COVID-19 can become seriously ill (Source WHO) and develop difficulty in breathing. In more severe cases, an infection can cause severe pneumonia and other complications which can be treated only at higher-level facilities (District Hospitals and above). In a few cases, it may even cause death. For definition and more information on COVID-19, visit the World Health Organisation (WHO) website http://www.who.int/health-topics/coronavirus
COVID-19 spreads mainly by droplets produced as a result of coughing or sneezing of a COVID-19 infected person. This can happen in two ways:
The incubation period of COVID 19 (time between getting the infection and showing symptoms) is 1 to 14 days. Some people with the infection, but without any serious symptoms can also spread the disease
a) People who have travelled to other countries in the last 14 days and their family members.
b) People coming from other states if they have been working with people who travelled to other countries in the last 14 days.
c) Family members and contacts of patients confirmed to have COVID-19.
d) People older than 60 years of age and people with medical problems like high blood pressure, heart problems, respiratory disease/asthma, cancer or diabetes are at higher risk for developing serious complications.
*Source: Prevention and Control Document published by MoHFW, GOI
COVID19 & CSR Fund utilisation: Notification issued by Ministry of Corporate Affairs to count funds spent to tackle COVID-19 under CSR activities
“Keeping in view of the spread of novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) in India, its declaration as a pandemic by the World Health Organisation (WHO), and, the decision of the Government of India to treat this as a notified disaster, it is hereby clarified by Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Government of India (MCA) that spending of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds for COVID-19 is eligible CSR activity,” the notification said.
The MCA said that funds spent on promotion of healthcare, including preventive healthcare and sanitation and disaster management would be within the definition of a company’s CSR obligations.
The circular clarified that the broad-based items as per Schedule 7 of the CSR policy, which deals with the activities that constitute CSR activity, may be interpreted liberally for this purpose. As per the amended Companies Act, the government has made it mandatory for companies to spend 2% of their average net profit of the last three years on CSR activities.
For detailed order issued by MCA, Click here- (Link: http://www.mca.gov.in/Ministry/pdf/Covid_23032020.pdf)
To augment mass awareness about COVID-19 (Coronavirus); a pandemic declared by WHO and GoI, HLFPPT is taking all major preventive measures against COVID19 to help combat the situation.
Under the chairmanship of CEO-HLFPPT Sh. Sharad Agarwal, a Leadership team meeting was called at the Corporate Officer to assess the situation. It was advised to implement the Corona related guidelines issued by Government of India without any further delay. During the meeting, a committee was also formed as “Internal Corona Response Team” to tackle the situation. Circulars have been emailed to all the Staffs about the same and inviting to seek any help 24×7 related with COVID19. Work from Home, distribution of mask and sanitizer, placing of awareness posters at reception, awareness Sessions by expert doctor on Corona are some of the immediate actions taken by HLFPPT for the welfare of its employee.
Since the whole world has fallen into the trap of COVID19 and each country has been taking every possible action to reduce the death of infected people and also to contain COVID-19 from spreading, HLFPPT has been going hand in hand with the Government to aid the fight against COVID-19. The measures and efforts made by us with the support of Government and various CSR initiatives of the corporate companies to provide families living on the margins with additional support to tide over COVID-19, up to the present are:
National Health Mission-Chhattisgarh and State Departments have officially engaged HLFPPT’s Technical Staffs and other supporting staffs to fight against COVID19 as a part of COVID-19 Task Force. The team has been providing medical advice on call, making necessary follow-ups and arrangements of the test for those who have developed the symptoms, conducting day to day monitoring of new patients, maintaining log-book of the callers and conducting necessary inter-departmental co-ordinations.
Moreover, our technical staffs and State Manager are working as Medical Counsellors to provide counselling support to the people during lockdown, addressing their concerns and questions.
Apart from this, at COVID Response Centre, Raipur our counselling teams are also reaching out to suspected cases through telephonic counselling. Their work is to counsel the suspected people who are in-home quarantined. As of the day, total number of home quarantine is 359 as provided by 104 State Departments.
We have also created a WhatsApp group to add all those suspected and identified cases to provide a one-stop solution to all COVID19 related issues and also to monitor them at one place. This Group consists of experts from various fields like- Medical, Counselling, Transport, Local Administration etc.
HLFPPT, with the financial support from Social Justice Department, Kerala has been managing and operationalizing a government Old Age Home under the project of “Second Innings Home” in Kannur, Kerala.
It is the high spirits, motivation and dedication of the elderly residents only that they have come together to ensure the free of cost availability of hand sanitizers and hand washing liquid soaps to the poor and marginalized people. The residents made liquid soap and sanitizers in bulk and handed it over to the District Magistrate for further distribution at community level.
The kind gesture of senior citizens was well appreciated by the District Magistrate, and it also received media coverage in all the leading print and electronic media of Kannur district.
4. Supporting Assam Government to fight against COVID1-9 through Mobile Medical Unit, Assam
The team of HLFPPT Mobile Medical Unit (MMU), Assam has been supporting the government initiatives in preventing COVID-19 by means of varied actions. This includes – Stamping and Sticker pasting of Quarantine/Home; Door-to-Door Awareness Sessions; Monitoring of COVID19 patient; Providing Medical guidance with the help of Local Police; Providing Transportation facilities to the patients showing symptoms; Extending counselling support through COVID19 helpline etc. Besides;
Entire nation is following the lockdown guidelines and is helping Government to contain the COVID19 from spreading in masses. By doing this, most of the local community are inside Home. But most of them, who are on medications, need regular basis medical consultation and medicines to complete the prescribed course. In wake of this, HLFPPT with support of PTC has introduced an innovative concept in Delhi to start taking OPDs digitally (Phone Social Sites etc) and and provide essential medical services to the patient after assessment of requirements.. Some of these are mentioned below:
Our Medical Officers are giving ‘OPD on Call’, in which we are trying to provide Medical advice to our existing beneficiaries as normal OPDs are not possible during this lockdown.
This activity works in 3 Simple Steps (3 D’s):
1) Dialling:
Initially (Step-1), our Staff Nurse calls to the beneficiary through our existing patient’s database to know about them and their families’ well-being also making them aware regarding the current situation and how to tackle it.
2) Diagnosing:
After this (Step-2), people who are found suitable for medical advice will then be connected to our Medical Officers for professional advice and guidance.
3) Delivering:
Call to action (Step-3), our, Mobile Medical Unit delivers the required medicines to the people who are not able to buy or arrange medicines on their own at their doorsteps.
Apart from medical advice and free medicines, awareness related to COVID-19 is also taking places through ‘OPD on Call’.
People Living with HIV (PLHIV) have always been vulnerable and they need to continue taking their prescribed medicines for better and fast recovery. In connection with this, due to lockdown, , many of the clients who used to visit ART centre (A dedicated centre to provide medicines and manage HIV patient) are stuck at their homes / migrated to their native places.
Some of them needed medical consultation or need professional advices regarding their symptoms the others need medicines to continue the process of recovering.
Keeping the same in view, HLFPPT’s Care and Support Centres (CSC) under Rajasthan HIV team reached out to the existing patients with medicines and also made them aware about Corona Virus. With the help of our Donor partners, a special permission has been obtained from the local authorities in this regard.
Our O.R.W Officer Mr. Gurmel from FIRTC (Hanumangarh) of CHC, Ganganagar (Rajasthan) reached to the clients living in Hanumangarh with medicines and also made them aware about Corona Virus.
Not just this, Our Rajasthan team distributed the essential food items to them with the financial support received from various donor partners to fight against COVID-19.
Along the similar lines, HLFPPT Telaganga and Madhya Pradesh HIV Teams have also started delivery of Antiretroviral (ARV) drugs to the PLHIVs and Children Living with HIV (CLHIV) at their door step.
National Health Mission Uttarakhand has deployed HLFPPT’s 15 Mobile Medical Units (running under 5 projects) in various districts of the State to serve the communities in fighting the pandemic COVID-19. Some of the team members are working in control room for assisting the experts in district hospital while MMUs are being deployed for providing ambulatory services to far flung areas. As of now, 10MMUs are actively working as per the guidance of NHM, namely, 2 MMUs each in Pauri, Pithoragarh, Chamoli and One MMU each in Nainital, Haridwar, Bageshwar and Uttarkashi.
Apart from the above, a training programs on COVID-19 was arranged by Chief Medical Officer (Bageshwar Uttarakhand), which was attended by MMU State team.
a) With the Financial support from Mahindra Rise Foundation under its CSR initiatives, HLFPPT HIV/AIDS team facilitated distribution of Medicine and Nutritional/Ration Kit in Jaipur.
b) Community Awareness Session on COVID-19 was conducted and IEC leaflets were distributed by MMU-Assam Team.
c) A small community awareness session was organised in Uttarakhnad by HLFPPT Tehri MMU-UK team to sensitize local community about COVID-19
d) In Delhi under CSR Project of PTC India, various Community Awareness sessions have been done on “Detection and Prevention from COVID-19” in South East Delhi, North East and North West Districts of Delhi by Mobile Health Clinics.
e) Under the CSR Project of NPCIL, “Corona Virus Awareness Sessions” were conducted in remote village called Khinda in Odisha State.
f) COVID 19 awareness & Home quarantine monitoring by MMU 064 at Bajrangpur TE and Indragarh TE, Assam.
g) HLFPPT Counsellor Mr. Pradeep, AFHC Pansemal providing support in screening of suspected cases at CHC Pansemal.
Distribution of Sehat Ki Tokri to marginalised communities in partnership with PFS
In association with PTC India Financial Services Limited (PFS), On September 03rd, 2020, HLFPPT distributed 50 “COVID-19 Relief Kits named- Sehat Ki Tokri” (A Basket of Good Health) out of total 800 Kits to be distributed in phase manner.
The distribution took place in Okhla Extension area where many marginalised families are living without having good medical facilities which makes them more vulnerable.
Not just distribution, an awareness session on personal health hygiene, preventive measures, and how efficiently this kit can be used, was demonstrated by the HLFPPT team.
On behalf of the community, we are thankful to the Donor Partner (PFS) for such a lovely initiative and trusting on #HLFPPT for the purpose.