Learn to live with Covid-19, Etala tells RWAs

People have to learn to live with Covid-19 and residents welfare associations (RWAs) need to be vigilant as the government cannot be everywhere, said health minister Etala Rajendar.

Speaking at a meeting with a large group of RWA federations under the UFERWAS (United Federation of RWAs), Rajendar said this meeting was held to seek the assistance of RWAs in preventing the spread of Covid-19.

Expressing regret that social stigma around the virus was rampant, Rajendar added that the mortality rate in state was 0.8 per cent as against the national average of 2 per cent. The minister then appealed to the people to take precautions.

B.T. Srinivasan, general secretary of UFERWAS, highlighted the areas of possible cooperation by way of sharing of primary health centre (PHC) information with details of concerned officers, decentralised testing services at various community locations and counselling services at isolation centres.

Major Shiva Kiran of UFERWAS said that UFERWAS volunteers could handle the call centre, take up ward-wise home isolation monitoring and suggested that Coronavirus combat initiatives could first be taken up in 10-15 locations where RWAs are strong — Malkajgiri, Begumpet, Mehdipatnam, Kalyannagar, Tarnaka, Masab Tank, AS Rao Nagar, Kukatpally, Erragada, Motinagar, Nanakaramguda,

Hitec City, Kushaiguda, Medchal, Yapral, Sainikpuri and other locations. UFERWAS representatives thanked TRS Malkajgiri in-charge M. Rajasekhar Reddy for his support for their cause.

Dr Srinivas Rao, Director of Medical and Health Services, said DMOHs will be directed to work with RWAs and assured mobile testing services as required.