UP prisoners lead the way in fight against COVID-19
LUCKNOW:After making over 4.75 lakh masks and hand sanitisers, inmates of UP prisons are now learning to make personal protection equipment (PPE) kits and full-face shield masks for doctors and health workers. In the fight against COVID-19, they are also learning to set up sanitising tunnels at jail entrances.
“Since March 15, prisoners of 65 out of 71 jails in the state have made over 5 lakh masks. These masks were initially distributed among around 90,000 prisoners lodged in these jails. Later, they were supplied to at least 150 government departments and wings at cost price,” UP Prison Administration and Reform Services director-general Anand Kumar said.
He said that prisoners later started preparing hand sanitizers in 16 prisons for self-use and the excess was supplied to other departments. “After successfully accomplishing two tasks, the prisoners have begun preparing PPE kits, full face shield masks, especially for doctors and health workers and full bodysuit or sanitation workers.”
He said that the prisoners of Lucknow Modern Jail had started preparing PPE kits under supervision of Balrampur Hospital director Rajiv Lochan. He said that at least 50 PPE kits and full shield masks had already been provided to Balrampur Hospital authorities.
“Authorities of Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Hospital in Lucknow were also in touch with jail authorities and we will also supply them as soon as the product is ready,” he added.
The DG explained that the PPE kit and full shield masks take several hours and they need to be made under the supervision of a medical expert, as this is meant for frontline fighters like doctors and health workers. “Other than PPE kits, the prisoners of Ghaziabad district jail are preparing fullbody suits that can be used by sanitation workers while carrying cleansing drive in Covid-19 hotspots.
Kumar said that the latest
YEOMAN SERVICE JAIL INMATES MAKE MASKS, PPE KITS, SANITISATION TUNNELS TO LIMIT INFECTION SPREAD
improvisation in the fight against COVID-19, is the sanitisation tunnel at the gates of jails. “Basically, I got an idea after seeing a similar tunnel in an Andhra Pradesh district. Later, I watched a few online videos and derived plan with the help of other jail authorities and inmates to prepare a similar tunnel,” he said, adding, “The idea worked and at present similar sanitisation tunnel is set up at the entrances of 12 jails and soon it will be set-up at other jails too.”
He said that the list of 12 places where sanitisation tunnels have already been set up are prisons of Gautam Buddh Nagar, Ghaziabad, Agra, Meerut, Hardoi, Unnao, Kaushambi, Lakhimpur Kheri, Ayodhya, Fatehgarh, Pilibhit and Rae Bareli. He said that this tunnel completely sanitises a person before entering he /she enters the jail premises and hence, minimises risk of infection spread among jail personnel and inmates.