Village in Chittorgarh battles myths to defeat Covid
JAIPUR: From 87 active cases and 16 deaths, a village in Rajasthan’s Chittorgarh district battled fear, fake news, and quacks to beat coronavirus disease (Covid-19) within a fortnight, villagers and officials say.
With an estimated population of 4,500, Covid cases were steadily rising in Gadola village till April 26, as villagers refused tests and delayed treatment, believing fake messages that death was inevitable once someone tested positive.
Misled by social media rumours, virus-infected people relied on quacks and homemade remedies. Several patients developed severe symptoms due to delayed treatment at a Covid facility, officials said.
But after 16 people were suspected to have died of Covid, about 15 villagers banded together to fight the disease. They roped in sarpanch Rasali Devi to set up check posts to stop outsiders from coming into the village and started a door-todoor outreach programme to dispel myths about the pandemic.
“With the help of the district administration, we converted a
WITH AN ESTIMATED POPULATION OF 4,500, COVID CASES WERE STEADILY RISING IN GADOLA VILLAGE TILL APRIL 26
government school in the village into a Covid-19 facility to quarantine and treat patients,” said Devilal Rawat, a villager who led the team.
“The village went into a complete lockdown in April, and water was made available through tap so that people did not have to gather near a tank to collect water,” he said.
The villagers who recovered from illness spoke to reluctant patients over the phone to dispel myths and persuaded them to seek medical help. Many of them personally spoke to the families of patients and convinced them to trust doctors, not quacks and social media, Rawat said.
“Photographs of well-cleaned quarantine centres with good food being served were widely shared on local Whatsapp groups that also removed misplaced fears about quarantine centres,” he said.
“People agreed to give samples; 87 people tested positive but they had not sought medical treatment. We quarantined them in the school. And now all of them have recovered; there is no fresh case,” Rawat said.
“There is so much awareness in the village now that everyone understands the need to wear masks and maintain social distancing.” District collector Tara Chand Meena said Gadola model is now being used in 50 other places in Chittorgarh. “Initially people were very concerned, but local teams worked hard and the situation has now improved. The last patient in Gadola has also recovered; we are now using the same model for localised treatment at different villages,” he said.