E-Paper
Amid rising virus cases, Bhiwani villagers set up their own isolation centre
The state government had announced that it will be releasing ₹50,000 per gram panchayat to set up isolation centres in villages but the residents of Mandholi village started their own isolation centre
Amid increasing coronavirus cases and deaths in rural areas across the state, residents of Mandholi Kalan village, nearly 60 km from the district headquarters in Bhiwani, have set up an isolation centre in a private school’s building.
The state government had announced that it will be releasing ₹50,000 per gram panchayat to set up isolation centres in villages but the residents of Mandholi village started their own isolation centre. Almost every family in the village, which has approximately 6,000 people, has been touched by the virus.
The health department had collected samples of 60 people, of which eight were found positive in rapid tests. Mandeep Chaudhary, a postgraduate, who runs a coaching centre, said they had established a10-bedded isolation centre at KCM School this week.
“We have four oxygen cylinders and five doctors are available for online consultation free of cost. We have equipment such as oximeters, thermometers, steam machines and blood pressure monitoring machines. Thirty-eight patients are admitted at the centre, which was set up with the help of donations,” he said.
Chaudhary, who had started an ambulance service in the village in January, has purchased two more ambulances amid the second wave.
“If patients’ condition worsens, they are taken to hospitals in Bhiwani or Hisar. The poor are ferried free of cost and well-to-do patients are also only charged for fuel. Our team has been delivering oxygen cylinders and medicines to patients’ door step. Only refilling charges are taken,” he said.
The director of the private school, Jaibir Boora, said, “Most students in our school are from Mandholi Kalan and other neighbouring villages. Thus, in this hour of crisis, we offered our building as an isolation centre so that lives can be saved. School authorities in collaboration with the village youth are planning to increase the number of beds.”
Chotu, a resident of the village said his mother was admitted to the isolation centre after her oxygen saturation levels dropped. “Now, my mother is fine and her saturation level is 97. This centre is very helpful for patients whose lungs are affected. If oxygen is provided to such patients, they can be shifted to hospitals,” he said.
Devender Sheoran, a resident of Sidhanwa village, who had supplied 14 oxygen cylinders to those in need free of cost said they too were planning on setting up an isolation centre in their village on their own.”
“ We have identified a school building and the isolation centre will be started in the next three to four days,” he said.
