Imposing a fine on those who venture out of their homes without masks is a deterrent, but it’s not strong enough to stop the coronavirus in its tracks. Realising this, the District Magistrate of Sitamarhi has a gone a step ahead in his battle against Covid19. A 2014-batch officer, Ms. Abhilasha Sharma has deployed doctors and medical staff at police stations all over the district to conduct rapid antigen tests of people who are caught not wearing masks.
That this should be done in a place like Bihar may raise some eyebrows, but only of those who do not know the ground situation. It’s not for nothing that Bihar has won the coveted Digital India Award-2020 for innovative initiatives during Covid-19 lockdown. This happened after officers in various districts of the state started coming out with unique steps to curb down the rising cases of Covid 19.
Sitamarhi district situated in the Mithila region in Bihar is one of the places where the officials are leaving no stone unturned against their fight with the dreaded virus.
DEPLOYING DOCTORS AND MEDICAL STAFF IN POLICE STATIONS
Ms. Sharma, while addressing the media, said, “This initiative is taken to make people aware of the preventive measures for the pandemic. Therefore, people who are caught violating this measure are not only charged with fines but are simultaneously provided with a rapid antigen test as they have a high possibility of carrying the virus.”
For this, the district administration has deployed several doctors and medical staff in all the police stations in the district under the guidance of Ms. Sharma. Sitamarhi has a total of 18 police stations in17 blocks.
As per the DM, various special testing camps have been set up at the thana level where these antigen tests are being conducted. She also added that a contact list of people found positive is also being maintained by the doctors at these police stations. Till now, hundreds of people who were violating the norms have been given these antigens tests and have also been fined accordingly.
THE OUTCOME
A very few people were tested positive by conducting these tests, but it gave a holistic approach to the situation. The ones who have been tested positive for Covid 19 and are asymptomatic are further given guidelines about home isolation, as also medical assistance.
Till now the district has about 114 active cases, while 4,216 people have recovered and 14 have lost their lives since the time of the pandemic.
As India lands in the list of the worst-hit countries during the pandemic, such initiatives taken by administrators are highly appreciated. In fact, this initiative taken by Ms. Abhilasha Sharma is gathering a lot of attention in Bihar and – as per the reports- is likely to be replicated in other districts of the state as well.
DIGITAL INDIA AWARD 2020 FOR BIHAR
Recently, Bihar has been declared as the winner of the Digital India Award 2020 for innovative initiatives taken during the pandemic for assisting the citizens in many ways. The efforts were recognized by the Government of India after which they decided to award the state’s chief minister’s office, the state’s disaster management department (DMD), and the NIC jointly.
