Ms Annalata Jamatia joined as ASHA in January 2008 in Malbasa AWC (A), Purba Malbasa ADC village in Tripura. When Covid crisis hits India, Annalata and her co-workers collected information about Covid through TV news channels and YouTube videos as they had very little knowledge on Covid.
Subsequently, a series of meetings were organised by VHSNCs and the Community Leader, Para Chowdhury to take decisions on the steps to be taken by the villagers to combat against Covid. Volunteers were selected to monitor the entire process. Post meeting, Annalatha along with other ASHAs and 4 AWCs took the responsibility of her village covering 230 families. They started house to house visits and counseled each family member about personal hygiene, usage of face masks, hand wash, sanitizer, etc. In addition, they circulated leaflets on Covid to each family and made a demonstration on hand washing; listing of the people was done who are coming to the states from outside/ neighbouring states; and monitored and counseled the people/family who are on home quarantine.
Annalata is visiting all 12 quarantine families in the village regularly. In addition, she is continuously providing other routine services including accompany the pregnant women for ANC check-ups, HBNC visits, household visits for nutritional counseling, routine immunization and blood slide collection from malaria suspected cases. Moreover, ASHAs encouraged all 230 families to collect money for buying essential commodities including rice, vegetables, etc. which were distributed to 40 needy families.
A great salute to ASHAs! This was possible only by the continued joint efforts and skillful execution of work.
Interviewed by Smt. Mangala Jamatia, DAPM
Gomati District, Udaipur