Maligaon, June 8: The Northeast Frontier Railway and UNICEF Assam have joined hands to spread public awareness on COVID-19 in the state. As part of the collaboration, 36 railway stations 14 under Rangiya Railway Division, 13 under Tinsukia Railway Division, and nine under the Lumding Railway Division across the state will disseminate information on COVID-19 and related topics, starting with the Guwahati and Kamakhya Railway Stations.
This collaboration aims to support ongoing efforts by the Department of Health and Family Welfare and the National Health Mission (NHM), Government of Assam. Information on COVID-19 that has been disseminated by the government, including types of masks to use.
COVID Appropriate Behaviours (CAB), vaccines, mental health, home isolation and care, strains of the virus, helpline numbers, among others, would be placed at the entry and exit gates, platforms, foot bridges and waiting rooms of the railway stations, along with 20 coaches at the Guwahati Railway Station that have been converted to temporary isolation wards.
Shri Anshul Gupta, General Manager, Northeast Frontier Railway said, “Railways is making all efforts in the fight against COVID-19. We are running Oxygen Express trains for supply of oxygen to the states, operating special COVID Care Centers in our hospitals for treatment of COVID positive patients and have provided coaches for isolation of patients whenever required.
In this fight, awareness is the most important tool. Northeast Frontier Railway is running awareness campaigns in its jurisdiction to make people aware about COVID Appropriate Behavior.
This joint initiative with UNICEF Assam will go a long way in educating lakhs of people using railway premises regularly and will help restrict the spread of COVID-19 to a great extent.”
The COVID-19 pandemic has redefined the meaning of a global health crisis and is a challenge being faced by humanity today. The entire country, including Assam, is witnessing the second wave along with a surge in infections and fatalities. This has led to a scenario wherein the overall health infrastructure is overwhelmed in an unprecedented manner.
According to UNICEF Assam’s Chief of Field Office, Dr Madhulika Jonathan, “The current scenario can be overcome only with active participation from citizens. As per research, we know that COVID-19 spreads through the aerosols of an infected person, and it can spread fast.
However, new mutants can also increase the rate and severity of the infection. In both the situations, it is important to prevent the spread by following COVID Appropriate Behaviours and taking the vaccine when your turn comes.
Therefore, a need exists to sensitize the general public about various aspects to be adhered to in this fight against COVID-19. We thank the Northeast Frontier Railway for adding the much-needed-push to reach out to the masses of people travelling within and to-and-fro from Assam,” Dr Jonathan added.
The duration of the collaboration will be three months. Acknowledging the importance of the partnership, Dr Lakshmanan S, Mission Director, National Health Mission, Assam said, “After a steady decline of COVID-19 cases between November 2020 to April 2021, Assam is witnessing a spike in the number of new cases.
Laxity in following COVID Appropriate Behaviors is fueling the rise in cases. Proper masking, hand hygiene, maintaining physical distance, avoiding crowded places and taking the vaccine are the key to break the chain of transmission. Until the vaccine is available for all, ‘COVID appropriate behaviors’ remains the only social vaccine for prevention.”
UNICEF Assam has been supporting the Department of Health (and Family Services) and National Health Mission in increasing public awareness around COVID-vaccine uptake and Appropriate Behavior, strengthening COVID testing, treatment and vaccination capacity and providing essential supplies to support the health system.
Among the support, UNICEF has supplied RT-PCR machines, walk-in coolers, deep freeze refrigerators, ice lined refrigerators, cold boxes, vaccine carriers and triple layer masks. Amidst the pandemic, UNICEF has continued to support strengthening of the health systems and quality of essential maternal and child health services in the state.
Northeast Frontier Railway is the lifeline of the entire Northeast region of the country apart from parts of West Bengal and Bihar. The need for public transportation of this region apart from transportation of essential commodities like food grains, medicines etc. and other commercial commodities like construction materials, petroleum products, automobiles etc vastly depend on this railway zone.
During the pandemic period that started more than a year ago, the Northeast Frontier Railway has successfully lived up to the expectation of the people of this vast area by ensuring availability of essential items and carrying passengers to and from all parts of our country.
