The COVID-19 pandemic is far from over. Many are still reeling from the second wave, while others are bracing for a third. Here is the latest COVID-19 news from India’s hinterlands.
COVID-19 IMPACT
Lack of facilities in villages hamper COVID-19 diagnosis and treatment
An inadequate rural healthcare system, a lack of awareness about the spread of coronavirus, combined with the difficulty in home isolation leads to increase in number of infections in Odisha
Technology enables villagers access health consultations remotely
e-Sanjeevani, a technological application, enables rural patients consult doctors via mobile phones. It has come in handy for remote COVID-19 consultations during the pandemic and the lockdown
Volunteers enumerate patients in remote villages, deliver medicines
Where villagers lack access to health facilities, district administration and development organizations enlist volunteers to monitor patients’ health and deliver COVID-19 medicines at their doorstep
COVID-19 assistance helps villagers find a footing
Odisha Livelihood Mission’s financial support has enabled many vulnerable rural families, especially women entrepreneurs, to recover from the economic shock of the pandemic-induced lockdown
Trained tribal youth educate community about coronavirus
To prevent pandemic alienation of tribes, select local tribal youth were equipped with accurate information, so that they could demystify coronavirus myths among their community
Helping hands pull Jharkhand farmers from the brink
Farmers who were in the brink of starvation during lockdown were identified through vulnerable mapping. With quality seeds and training in better practices, they are reaping better yields
Women’s cooperative introduces insurance during pandemic
As fear of coronavirus gripped villagers during the initial phase of lockdown and their livelihood was lost, a federation of women introduced insurance schemes for their benefit
How rural India showed resilience, synergy during lockdown
Republic Day is an ideal occasion to celebrate rural India’s positive progress. VillageSquare recollects how communities used the lockdown productively, despite difficulties and loss of livelihoods.
Dairy cooperative creates a closed-loop replicable system
The lockdown made many dairy cooperatives lose business. However, a village cooperative in Anand has created a sustainable financial and ecological model, building synergy among farmers