THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The volunteer registration programme that the state successfully implemented during the floods of 2018 and 2019 will be rolled out once again for dealing with the pandemic, COVID-19.
A joint initiative of the state government, the National Health Mission and Department of Health Services, the volunteer registration was launched on Sunday via a dedicated online platform.
According to the Health Department, the services of volunteers will be used for surveillance and to generate awareness against the virus at the community level and to sensitise the people on the need to practice hand hygiene, cough etiquette and others.
In the case of volunteers with a medical background, their service will be used in isolation facilities in hospitals/homes, patient management in wards.
“The volunteer registration was a grand success during the floods. A similar campaign will have to be launched to break the transmission chain of the virus. The support of the community is needed in the prevention and control activities. To sensitise them, the service of volunteers will be used,” said an officer of the Health Department.
National Health Mission state director Ratan Kelkar said that the volunteer service could be used by the respective district collectors as and when the need arises.
Those who register will be provided with a two-hour online training. A module has also been prepared. Additional director of health services (public health) Dr V Meenakshi said that patient management is not the role of the volunteers and instead they will be asked to conduct door-to-door campaigns at the ward-level.
“It will be the primary health centre and local bodies concerned who will manage the service of volunteers in consultation with the district collector. The primary focus of the volunteers will be the elderly population as they are the most vulnerable group in COVID-19 related mortalities,” said Meenakshi.
Though the service of volunteers was used when three MBBS students returned from Wuhan in China tested positive, it is for the first time that their service is sought extensively.
In the case of medical practitioners, those with qualifications such as MBBS/BDS/BHMS/BPharm/BSc Nursing/health inspector course or others can enrol.