RANCHI: Over 2 lakh MGNREGA workers in Jharkhand are being trained by the Rural Development Department to make villagers aware of Covid-appropriate behaviour and its early detection.
According to officials, besides making villagers aware about keeping social distancing, wearing masks and cleanliness, they will go door-to-door to make people aware of Covid-appropriate behaviour and its early detection to prevent casualties.
“As many as 80 village resource persons (VRPs) have already been trained, who will further go to their areas and train about 2 lakh MGNREGA workers,” said RD Secretary Aradhana Patnaik. After getting trained, these labourers will make the door-to-door visit and create awareness among the villagers about appropriate behaviour and early detection of Covid, she added.
“Since every life is precious, we have to make all efforts to save them. In the second wave, people are not able to differentiate between common cold, cough, diarrhoea or typhoid with Covid due to lack of awareness,” said the RD Secretary.
People will be asked to contact the nearest health centre immediately in case they have a common cold and cough, she added. In addition to that, the official said, 2.5 lakh Self-Help Groups (SHGs) all over the State are also being trained to make a task force of over 25 lakh women in rural areas who will reach out to every household in their villages and create awareness among the people.
“SHG members are constantly being trained to spread awareness regarding the coronavirus in rural areas. The objective is to spread awareness and convince people to follow corona guidelines strictly which will eventually break the chain of infection,” said Patnaik. In all, members of 2.5 lakh SHGs are being trained, she added.
Notably, Jharkhand State Livelihood and Promotion Society have been providing online and offline training to SHG women on appropriate behaviour of Covid and the advantages of vaccination. So far, over 23 lakh women have already been trained on this, who are now effectively been working in their villages.
“These women from rural parts of the state are playing a pivotal role in breaking the chain of infection by providing timely information related to Covid and vaccination to their families and other villagers,” said a JSLPS official.