40% citizens in Mumbai screened for Covid-19 under Maharashtra government’s ‘My Family, My Responsibility’ initiative

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has screened more than 40% of the total population of Mumbai since September under the recently launched door-to-door

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has screened more than 40% of the total population of Mumbai since September under the recently launched door-to-door survey, ‘My Family, My Responsibility’. Civic officials said residential societies refuse to cooperate with volunteers for fear of getting quarantined or contracting Sars-CoV-2 virus that causes Covid-19.

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As those with underlying co-morbid health issues such as diabetes, hypertension, tuberculosis and cardiac ailments are most vulnerable to the infection, BMC started the door-to-door surveys to design a better health plan for the public.

Under this survey, till October 18, 4,289,029 individuals from 1,399,124 households in the city have been surveyed. S ward that covers Bhandup has screened 119,430 households, the highest in the city. This is followed by P-North (Malad West) where 118,210 households have been screened, M-East (Govandi East), K-West (Andheri West) and L (Kurla West) wards where residents of 117,251, 113,667 and 104,011 houses have been surveyed.

“We have completed the first phase of the survey on October 13. Once we have the ward-wise record of the residents, we will accordingly formulate health plans that will help deal with the pandemic more efficiently in the future,” said Suresh Kakani, additional commissioner, BMC.

A total of 12,851 volunteers are working with BMC to screen individuals by checking temperature and oxygen saturation levels through an oximeter, followed by a set of questions on symptoms, international travel history or exposure to any infected patient, among others.

Assistant municipal commissioner Sanjog Kabare said they have collaborated with local residents to convince society members to provide their details for the survey, but many upper middle-class societies refuse. “Some fear contracting infection from volunteers, while others don’t share their details because of the fear of getting quarantined. Residents often shut their doors on the faces of the volunteers.”

“Whenever society members see volunteers in protective suits, they often turn hostile. They think that we will quarantine people with diabetes or hypertension. So, the field officers have to first convince them that sharing correct information is for their own good,” said Sandhya Nandekar, ward officer, R- North that covers Dahisar.

Kakani said all residents who have refused to give information will be added in the second phase. “The volunteers aren’t facing problems in slums. Residents need to be more responsible as providing false or incorrect information will not benefit anyone,” said Kakani.