KOCHI: With around 40 children residing at the Don Bosco Sneha Bhavan at Palluruthy here testing Covid-19 positive, other rehabilitation centres and orphanages across the district have stepped up their preventive measures by strictly adhering to a set of special guidelines, issued by the Health department and communicated through the District Child Protection Unit (DCPU). According to an employee at the Valsalyam Sisubhavan in Pallilamkara, North Kalamassery, no visitors are allowed at the orphanage anymore, and the staff is allowed to go outside only for emergency purposes.
The facility takes care of children below the age of five, which makes it even more crucial for the staff to strictly stick to the protocol. The staff who go outside are also not allowed to interact with the children, the employee said. “If a kid seems to be suffering from any serious health issue, we immediately call our paediatrician. Other guidelines such as the use of sanitisers, social distancing and the wearing of facemasks are also being adhered to,” she said. She added that newly-admitted children will be provided with separate rooms, and will also be looked after by an individual staffer for the first 14 days as a precautionary measure.
Some orphanages have also restricted children from participating in outdoor games for fear of contracting the disease. “The DCPU has been giving us directions on a weekly basis regarding the guidelines that need to be followed. As per their order, we are also not allowing our children to go outside,” said Varghese Thudian, director of the Emmanuel Children’s Home in Azhakam. The orphanage houses around 60 inmates, a majority of them aged above 18.
Financial crisis
Although the centres have been found to be strictly following the guidelines to keep their children safe from the dreaded virus, they have been struggling to provide financial support to the children due to the massive decline in donations over the past few months. “A grant of `1,000 is given by the Orphanage Control Board every year to the children who possess a destitute certificate. However, this is not sufficient to even meet these kids’ monthly expenses. The Gulf expatriates have also stopped giving donations owing to the unemployment crisis caused by the pandemic there,” said an orphanage administrator.
The reduced scale of admissions over the period has also forced many to go online. “The adoption process, which was previously conducted in the presence of the parents, is now being conducted online. It usually involves a discussion with the parents and the verification of documents,” said a person in charge at the Valsalyam Sisubhavan.DMO N K Kuttappan said the officials were making a list of orphanages in the district, following which more directions will be issued to each of these centres. He added that Covid-19 testing was currently only being conducted at old-age homes.