COVID – 19 Prevention Programme

The COVID-19 outbreak has created an unprecedented global crisis. With over 2 million people infected and 100 thousand deaths, this has by far been the largest calamity in anyone’s living memory. Assam and West Bengal has witnessed spike since March. An urgent need to beef up the prevention mechanism in the communities where we work has led us in initiating a community participation project to prevent COVID – 19. The programme is being conducted at 10 communities in and around the Tea Estates of Sagmootea, Nonoi, Kellyden, Hathikuli, Diffloo, Latakoojan, Borjan, Teok, Bhelaguri and Kakajan with the support of Zorg vaan de Zaak Foundation.

The programme aims to enable the communities adapt to behavioural changes in order to prevent COVID – 19. The Community Action Communities formed in each community is spearheading the mass awareness campaign to practice social distancing, respiratory etiquettes and maintaining personal hygiene and the community as well. Hygiene kits comprising of bleaching powder, soap and mask is being provided to household in the Estates and in the periphery areas as a preventive measure.

COVID Sakha’s and Sakhi’s are handholding the community in this time of crisis. The communities are being monitored for people showing COVID like symptoms and ensure proper medical attention. Caring for the vulnerable groups in the community is also of importance. The returnees who are quarantined in institutional facilities in the Estates are being provided with all possible support to complete the tenure of isolation.

COVID 19 Prevention Programme was able to prevent the rapid spread of the disease in the community by adopting a behaviour change model which involved every stakeholder in the community.

Programme outcome:

Reached - 12124 families,70395 community people reached
Awareness activity-2470 Awareness Meetings, reaching 50022 people
Monitoring chronic patients- 152 Nos.
Linked symptomatic people with hospitals (TGHs)-3676
Hygiene Kits distributed 10000 Nos.

Swach Griha (Clean Household) Campaign

In order to acknowledge the behavioural change that has taken place in the communities a campaign of identifying households which are clean and have undertaken preventive measures as setting up hand wash stations was undertaken. Winners were identified by a decision-making body from each Estate comprising of the Management, Medical Officer, Welfare Officer, Community leaders and COVID Sakhi and Sakha. Each winning household has been felicitated with a plaque which has been put in front of their homes declaring them as Swach Griha (clean household). It is believed that it will encourage others to keep their households clean.

94 Households recognized as Swach Griha’s (clean households).

Covid care centre

1539 returnees cared for at the COVID Care Centres across 25 communities