As the coronavirus wreaks havoc globally and countries put their best foot forward to fight it, the Indian government is joined by various civil society organizations at different levels for a more effective and timely response.

Abiding by Rural Development Trust (RDT)’s dharma – “Work beyond duty” – the present times demand that we push beyond our capacities. That is why RDT has decided to act as a single unit since the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak in India, using all its resources and expertise to contain and fight this pandemic.

©Somashekar/RDT 2020, a young man, enrolled in one of RDT’s Education Programs, took the initiative to raise awareness in his village through wall paintings. Photo by Lakshman Rao.

Following the guidelines and requests from the Indian Government and local authorities while keeping people’s needs in mind, RDT is currently working in four main areas: awareness at the grassroots level, health care, food distribution for migrants and daily wagers, and the production and distribution of preventive materials such as face masks and hand sanitizer.

1. Awareness at the grassroots level in coordination with the authorities: 

RDT grassroots staff, working in eight regions, are combining their efforts to raise awareness by using materials produced by RDT (pamphlets and posters made in consultation with RDT doctors) as well as the available local resources, such as microphones from the temples and drums in villages.

The awareness sessions are conducted with the support of Asha workers, Anganwadi teachers, Community-Based teachers (CBTs), youth leaders, the Community Development Committee (CDC), the Ecology Development Committee (EDC), and network leaders among other grassroots organizations. CDC members, CBT teachers and Rural Health Workers play a crucial role in their local jurisdictions because they lead social distancing measures in the colonies by drawing marks on the floor.

©RDT 2020 People queuing at the Bukkaraya Samudram water plan station. Photo by Narayan Reddy.

In some regions, such as Adoni or Srisailam, RDT is using the mobile library and the ambulance to reach remote places.

©Mobile Library in Adoni. Photo by Shanmukha Rao.

“It is giving us great strength to see how the people from the villages are taking the initiative to distribute food for those in need, drawing circles on the floor and setting up barricades at the entrance of the villages to prevent anyone from entering or leaving the village, as well as to ensure that those who are coming back from abroad or other parts of India are isolating themselves,” expresses Ms. Anne Ferrer, RDT Executive Director. “People are aware and they are being responsible,” she adds.

©RDT 2020 Awareness sessions for COVID-19 are being held in dozens of villages every day. Photo by Rameshwary.

1. RDT Hospitals Network: Preparing RDT medical infrastructure

RDT Hospitals were among the first in the region to start a contingency plan as per the indications of the Government. Bathalapalli Hospital has been one of the first centers in the district of Ananthapuramu to be designated as a COVID-19 Hospital by the District Collector, Sri Gandham Chandrudu, as of April 16th. For this purpose, RDT will make all its medical resources, amenities, facilities, and manpower available to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

After the announcement, all services in Bathalapalli have been suspended; all buildings of the hospital complex – except the Care and Support Center – will be used only for COVID-19 patients.  The organization has shifted the BTP obstetrics department to one of its centers in the Ananthapuramu town area, and the first deliveries were practiced on April 20th. During the month of May, more than 400 deliveries were conducted in this temporary center.

Due to the increase in the number of COVID-19 cases and the need for staff in Bathalapalli, the temporary center for Gynecology and Obstetrics at Campus 2 was stopped from July 1st. Its staff was transferred to Bathalapalli COVID-19 Center, and the patients of that center were to be offered different options.

Dr.Khanan stands in front of RDT 2nd Campus Spanish class. © Aina Valldaura/RDT

On April 12th, the  Government sent a notice to inform that the RDT Mycobacteriology Laboratory, used until then for testing drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB), would start functioning as a COVID-19 testing center. The AP Government has provided the required material as well as trainings for staff.

RDT Bathalapalli Hospital medical team ready to enter Level 2 wards. © Ketty Arce

Doctors and nurses are being trained, and new materials are being acquired (PPE, N95 Masks, surgical gowns, coveralls, facial shield). Some personal protection for emergency purposes is being prepared with the available supplies.

The Kalyandurg and Kanekal Hospitals have established triage points in the premises of the hospitals to inform the population of the new measures being taken. Anyone with symptoms is immediately asked to isolate himself/herself and to call the Government help lines. Any person arriving at the Hospital with fever is considered a potential COVID-19 patient until proved otherwise.

RDT medical staff reviewing and evaluating the cases of COVID-19 patients who are being treated at the RDT Hospital in Bathalapalli. © Photo by Ketty Arce/RDT.

1. Food distribution for daily wage workers and migrants

As per the Government’s request, RDT has been distributing cooked meals since March 31st and is providing over 10,000 meals every day to migrants and daily laborers for whom the lockdown has had serious consequences. The menu is based on 460 grams to 470 grams of rice items per person and is distributed at various points established by local authorities across the city and district. By June 7th, the organization had already distributed 409,484 cooked meals.

© RDT 2020 Food distribution at Ananthapuramu Tower Clock. Photo by Felita Viegas.

RDT staff working in state border regions such as Madakasira, Bukkaraya Samudram, Kadiri, Srisialam and Adoni are also providing  food grains and basic provisions to migrants, daily workers who have lost their jobs, and other people in vulnerable situations (including those who are desperately trying to reach home.)

© RDT 2020 Photo by Rameshwary.

4. Protection for those for those at the frontline: Masks and hand sanitizer

More than 4,464,171 masks made out of 100% cotton cloth have been produced since March 25th by local tailors and IDT artisans.

©RDT 2020 100% cotton mask production is being carried out at the BKS IDT workshop. Photo by Safia Begum.

The masks are being distributed among RDT grassroots staff working on COVID-19 awareness and to police officers, ANM nurses, and other government employees on duty. The masks are free of cost. Due to the increase in demand, the IDT staff is also conducting workshops at the village level for those who have stitching machines. “That way each family and community can be self-reliant and make their own masks,” explains Safia Begum, the trainer. More than 2,800 local tailors are already involved in this program.  “We will continue to produce them as far as there is demand and our main areas of distribution are the red zones, ergo where they are more needed,” adds Moncho Ferrer, RDT Program Director.

Each hospital is also making masks for their own staff. Bathalapalli Hospital’s provision is to be able to give three masks to each staff member working at the hospital and the other campus center. The masks are made by nurses and counsellors of the hospital and Care and Support Center alongside Kotacheruvu women sangham members.

Bathalapalli Hospital is also producing 1,000 liters of alcohol-based solution per week for staff, patients, police, and government officials on the field.

Text by: Aina Valldaura and Felita Viegas, adapted by Vicente Ferrer Foundation USA