HYDERABAD: After battling for almost 10 days, S Bala (name changed on request) from Suryapet district, succumbed to COVID-19 and left behind his pregnant wife and three-year-old son.
In Khammam district, a 10-year-old was left alone after both his parents had to be hospitalised due to COVID-19, and in another case in Sangareddy district, a 14-year-old became an orphan after losing both his parents to COVID-19.
According to the State Women and Children Department (WCD) and several NGOs, they are receiving multiple complaints of children losing their parents to COVID-19. While some have lost both their parents and have no one to look after them, others are in a situation where a single surviving parent is unable to take care of them financially and psychologically.
Speaking to The New Indian Express, a WCD official mentioned that while the complaints are coming from all parts of the State, a majority of them are from the GHMC limits.
"In rural areas, there are extended families to take care of children. In cities, many families are from other States or are nuclear," said the official on condition of anonymity.
Stating that measures have been taken to reach out to all children and women in need, the official added, "We are providing temporary shelter to children at the Institution Of Child Care Centers (ICCs). The Women Development & Child Welfare Department has also identified ‘fit facilities’ in all 33 districts of the State, where children, whose parents are hospitalised due to Covid-19, can get shelter. We will soon set up more such temporary shelters for children."
WCD urges people to call on helpline numbers
As of now, with coordination with the District Child Protection Unit (DCPU) staff at the field, the WCD is providing dry ration, financial assistance of Rs 2000 per child/ per month through sponsorship scheme for eligible children. The officials urge people to not hesitate in reaching out for help on the helpline number 040-23733665.