Community preparedness for COVID-19 and frontline health workers in Chhattisgarh

Indian J Public Health. 2020 Jun;64(Supplement):S102-S104. doi: 10.4103/ijph.IJPH_467_20.

Abstract

At the end of April 2020, there had already been three million cases of COVID-19 in the world pandemic. Chhattisgarh might expect 90,000 diagnosed cases of COVID-19 in the end. The first step taken in March was to ensure a simple checklist of activities that needed to continue. Handbills were given with the basic information on the symptoms and what to do in the community. In urban areas, the lockdown affected the poorer section of the society, especially who are not having BPL card and no other means of availing necessary eatables. Issues that arose affecting regular activities such as tuberculosis and immunization. Residents of informal settlements are also vulnerable during any COVID-19 responses. Frontline workers such as Mitanins in the community are an important asset in the capacity building and preparedness strategies.

Keywords: COVID-19; Chhattisgarh; community health worker; emergency preparedness; pandemic.

MeSH terms

  • Betacoronavirus
  • COVID-19
  • Community Health Workers / organization & administration*
  • Community Health Workers / standards
  • Coronavirus Infections / epidemiology*
  • Disaster Planning / organization & administration*
  • Hand Disinfection
  • Health Education
  • Humans
  • India / epidemiology
  • Pandemics*
  • Pneumonia, Viral / epidemiology*
  • Practice Guidelines as Topic
  • Rural Health Services / organization & administration
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Urban Health Services / organization & administration