The covid 19 virus outbreak was an unprecedented crisis before the society. Though globally covid 19 cases had already been started reported from the month of Dec. 2019 onwards, but untill March 13 the Indian Govt. official line was that covid 10 outbreak is not a national health emergency whereas the WHO in the month of January itself declared covid 19 outbreak a public health emergency. The first step of Social distancing as a method of keeping the virus away was first officially flagged by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 19 to call for a one day ‘Janata Curfew’ for March 22.

This no doubt was an unprecedented situation, but CSS could visualize and sense the impact that the situation would have in the near future on the people.

CSS identified and anticipated the following vulnerable groups that could be most affected by the covid 19 crisis and the lockdown :

Persons with Disabilities

Children

Women

Migrant labourers

Agricultural workers

Under covid 19 response CSS engaged in the following activities :

Supported by CBM
Initiative Supporting Agency Target group Type of support provided Area/location People benefited
Volunteer support CBM All patients and visitors of the PHC 24x7 support to PHC in daily check-up and database. Bero 43
PPE Kits CBM Doctors and health staffs - Bero 01
Dry ration /mask/ hygiene kits CBM Persons with Disabilities (200) Distribution of dry ration kits, masks, sanitizers, etc. to the PWDs. Bero, Itki, Sisai 200
Awareness and orientation CBM general public (900) sharing information and raising awareness on hand-washing, social distancing, etc Bero, Itki, Sisai 54
Assistance to administration CBM PDS centres helping the administration in ration distribution, record keeping and awareness about COVID-19 Bero, Itki, Sisai -
Medicine support CBM/DFAT 10 PWds and their family purchase and delivery of prescribed medicines to interior areas. Bero 10

Support from Other Agencies
Initiative Agency involved Target Type of Support Bero, Itki 42
Vegetable supply CSS/MISSI 10 Quintals per day Bero to Ranchi -Itki at VegFed outlets Bero – Itki 42
Vegetable Distribution CSS Poor and needy families (200) Door-to-door free distribution of vegetables. Bero – Itki 70
Online Counselling CSS general public (340 till now) psychological support, counselling and therapy sessions Itki, Bero, Sisai 29 families
Distribution of sanitary napkins Rotary Club Ranchi adolescent girls and women (200) free distribution Ranchi, Bero, Sisai 34
Cerelac distribution MISSION Blue Foundation children (100) free distribution Bero 40 CWDs
Educational Kits CSS/ Rotary Club Ranchi 60 children distribution of drawing sheets, colors, pencils, etc. ITKI 12 CWDs
Mask Distribution JSLPS Ranchi 500 people Public distribution Ranchi, ITKI, Bero 50
Dry Ration & hygiene kits Oxfam 275 neediest families of migrant and daily labourers. free distribution Sisai, Bharno,Bero 19
Dry Ration & hygiene kits Andheri Hilfe Bonn, Trichy 300 Single, poor women & WWDs free distribution Itki Bero 50
Cooked Meals in daily basis CSS/MISSI 16000 poor people distribution through Muhkhyamantri Dal-bhat Yojana (MISSI centres) ITKI, BERO Approx. 300
Ration from PDS CSS/ C.O, BDO, Mukhiya 1200 non-card holders facilitation in ration distribution Bero, Itki, Sisai 122

CSS ensured safety Health Checkup of Returning Migrants

Two Staff from CSS volunteered in the Bero PHC


Distribution of Dry Ration & Relief Kits

Apart from the above CSS also initiated the following :

Drinking water units for Corona warriors

CSS took the initiative of installing drinking water unites in Check posts of Karanji, Kesa & Bero. Here COVID warriors which included Police, health workers and volunteers toiled tirelessly day and night. It was also summer season. These drinking water units provided a great relief to nearly 350 corona warriors daily.

Handwashing Kiosks

To train the community on the importance of hand washing as a means to prevent covid 19 virus infection low-cost handwashing kiosks were installed in Bero, Jahanabaz, Pakalmeri, Karanji, Kesa, Muramu. Over 200 community members were trained on hand washing techniques and other preventive measures.

Advocacy

CSS was regularly and actively involved in advocacy right from the beginning addressing the following issues :
Ensuring Health Checkup and security of Migrant labourers returning to the state :
CSS came forward and advocated on behalf of the returning migrant people before the administration and was successful in streamlining the proper and compulsory health checkup for them. This ensured the safety of the community
Ensuring Safe Deliveries in containment zone :
The entire health machinery(health workers, ambulance) was diverted and concentrated for COVID 19. There was no MAMTA vahan, neither private vehicle were allowed to ply. The PHC at Bero was not entertaining other cases or patients during this time. At this point CSS stepped in and advocated before the MOIC(Medical Officer in charge)for such pregnant women. Eventually after the intervention of CSS, MOIC agreed and safe deliveries were done.
Mental Health :
Maintenance of Mental Health was a huge challenge during the COVID19 outbreak. Persons undergoing treatment for mental illness require regular medication. During the time of lockdown RINPAS OPD was closed as a result of which such patients could not get the medicines. A case of Khaksi Toli was reported by the CSS staff where a person named Bhubaneswas Tana Bhagat suffering from mental illness was fastened up with heavy chains as he was turning violent due to unavailability of medicines. CSS wrote to the concerned BDO, DC and also the Chief Minister in this regard and requested to intervene in this matter. Eventually the RINPAS OPD was opened. This was a huge relief to the persons with Mental illness.
Online Ration Application :
With the sudden imposing of lockdown due to COVID19 outbreak there was huge distress among the people especially in the rural areas and among people who earned livelihood through daily wages. The government announced free distribution of free ration under the PDS system initially for the first three months. Ration Card holder as well as non-ration card holder were benefitted from this. But gradually people had to get themselves enrolled for Ration Card. There was a huge lot which did not have ration card and they did not know how to apply. CSS stepped in with the help of its staff and volunteers helped to register nearly 1500 new ration card applications.

Acknowledgement

We thank the people mention below for their kind support and cooperation in helping us provide relief to the needy and vulnerable people effectively:

BDO, Bero for providing CSS with Govt. vehicle for distribution.

DTO, Ranchi for providing two vehicles for transportation.

DAO, Ranchi for permission of vegetable supply and provision of two vehicles for transportation.

DC, Ranchi for allowing vehicle permission for Secretary, CSS.

BDO, Bero and BDO, Sisai for permission to work during lockdown.

MOIC, Bero for providing pass and ID cards to our volunteers.

Panchayat heads for providing CSS the required details of needy families.

DPO leaders for finalization of lists and packing of food for distribution.

All the agencies/partners that provided all kinds of support for relief work.

All the vendors/ suppliers for providing the distribution materials with cooperation.

All the CSS staffs and volunteers and MISSI members and volunteers for working with determination during this critical time.