THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In some of the fishing villages in the state, the SARS-CoV-2 virus transmitted like wildfire. In the process, some villages got the infamous distinction of being the epicentre of community transmission while some others were tagged as large community clusters and limited community clusters. Now, to bring in a change, the health department has decided to roll out a coastal health action plan in the 222 fishing villages spread across nine coastal districts in the state. The plan that envisions Covid testing facility within a village also intends to establish Covid First-Line Treatment Centres in coastal areas itself so as to limit the movement of people.
“Some recent incidents especially that happened at Poonthura and Pulluvila in Thiruvananthapuram and Chellanam in Ernakulam stress the need for a special coastal Covid prevention and control action plan. Through this, Covid and non-Covid medical needs of the coastal community will be addressed in an effective manner,” said an officer of the health department.
Health principal secretary Rajan Khobragade stated that the objective of the plan is to strengthen Covid prevention and control activities in the coastal villages. In addition to that, it also focuses on ensuring primary health care to all.
He added that the major activities to be undertaken include rigorous contact tracing, active case finding, intense testing of all eligible, ensuring reverse quarantine, inter-sectoral coordination, the involvement of community leaders, NGOs, community leaders and others. At the same time, to ensure that the objectives of the plan are met with the wholehearted cooperation of the targeted group, a district-level meeting of religious leaders/ NGOs/ opinion leaders in coastal areas has been mulled. Another initiative that the plan proposes is a house-to-house campaign by a team consisting of community volunteers, LSG leaders, ASHA workers and health staff. They will look for symptoms suggestive of Covid. Upon identification, arrangement for testing will be done.
The plan says that two bodies will be set up as part of the initiative - one at the district level in the form of District Coastal Health Board (DCHB) and another at the local body level in the form of LSG Coastal Health Task Force (CHTF).DCHB is the district-level apex body for taking policy decisions on the adaptation of strategy, operations, resources and timelines.
The board will also monitor implementation of strategy at sub-district levels and adopt appropriate corrective measures on recognition of shortfalls or gaps.In the case of CHTF, it will be a group of responsible citizens and public servants organised under the leadership of the LSG specifically to achieve the goal of TB elimination in the population.