7.2.1 Preventive Healthcare

There is an immediate need to strengthen the health system of the targeted areas with special focus on preventive healthcare. Morbidity and mortality rate due to COVID 19 pandemic can be minimised many fold through structured and systematic messaging and awareness for the common public, especially hard to reach and vulnerable populations. Below are the set of activities which need to be taken up on an urgent basis.

7.2.1.1 Create & Curate Authentic Information

Priority: Immediate

There is a need to curate or create authentic information related to preventive measures that need to be taken related to COVID-19.

Given the spread of false information using social media channels, it is important that at the district level, information is taken from official/reliable sources. These could include information from the following:

The respective state government Ministry of Health and Family Welfare website.

These GOI websites provide this information in English and Hindi. There may be a need to translate this into the local language.

Areas where Civil Society Organizations can help:

  • Translation of information to local language
  • Development of pictorial and digital communication material

7.2.1.2 Wide dissemination of Information

Priority: Immediate

Multiple available channels/mediums could be used to disseminate this information. Some of them could be-

  • Social media
  • Messaging to opinion leaders in the targeted areas. This is most impactful.
  • Mass messaging.
  • People’s network and other forms of social capitals like SHGs/Youth groups/Adolescent groups/ Farmers federation etc.

Areas where Civil Society Organizations can help:

  • Help the government with strategy identifying target groups.
  • Help the government with a strategy of how to disseminate.
  • Helping the government with dissemination of information to a wider audience especially through opinion makers.

7.2.1.3 Educating on preventive strategies against COVID-19

Priority: Immediate

Educating people about the key preventive strategies like-

  • Physical distancing (e.g., limiting movements and exposure to crowds)
  • Better hygiene (e.g., careful handwashing and not touching our faces)
  • Home quarantine dos and don’ts
  • Protect the elderly and those with co-morbidities
  • Breaking myths associated with spread of Coronavirus

Areas where Civil Society Organizations can help:

  • Where enabled by government, conduct on the ground campaigns. This could take the form of on the ground announcements, community radio and more.

7.2.1.4 Community awareness on Government Schemes

Priority: Subsequent

Build awareness of the community around different rights and entitlement schemes of the govt (Central and state) including COVID 19 specific schemes. This should includes-

  • Eligibility for accessing these schemes
  • Entitlement of these schemes

Areas where Civil Society Organizations can help:

  • Development of pictorial and digital communication material keeping in mind majority of the target audiences are semi or illiterate.
  • Help/assist communities to apply online.

 

COVID-19