BENGALURU: While 16 of 30 districts in Karnataka, largely cities and towns, have reported cases of COVID-19, rural Karnataka has upped vigilance against the spread of the virus. Thanks to 6,021 ‘task forces’ at every panchayat level, online training modules on YouTube, a buzzing Telegram channel and hundreds of accredited social health activists (ASHA), Auxiliary Nurse-Midwife (ANM) and primary healthcare givers, the Karnataka government is equipped to carry out a door-to-door fever survey.
The task force at every gram panchayat level, headed by the panchayat president, is acting as the government’s realtime feedback machinery, apart from implementing protocols for newcomers into each village and reporting illness.
“One task force at every panchayat level has been set up with one member from each village. They have been trained via YouTube live. Updates, including photographs of each activity, are shared on a Telegram channel by panchayat development officials,” said LK Atheeq, principal secretary, rural development and panchayat raj. The department has set protocols on newcomers to villages.
“The village task force takes any person who has come into the village for basic checkup to the primary healthcare centre doctors, or ANM or ASHA workers. The newcomers are advised on treatment or quarantine, depending on whether they show symptoms,” he added. Photographs and details of each person entering the village are uploaded onto a Telegram group, along with pictures of following protocols.
The role of ASHA workers has been immense in keeping rural Karnataka informed of COVID-19. They are going door-to-door for survey. “We currently have one ASHA worker for every 1,000 persons. In a day, an ASHA worker covers about 60 houses. It takes them a week to survey an entire village,” Atheeq said. The data thus collected will be compiled over next week by the department to check for unusual spike, if any, in cases of fever, cold, cough, breathing problems etc.