BMC R-North ward launches daily Covid session online with 100 societies in Dahisar

BMC said the idea behind the session is to create awareness about monsoon-related ailments which have symptoms similar to Covid

Data from the first and second waves of Covid-19 have revealed that nearly 90% of the infected cases were recorded from high-rise buildings as compared to slums. Keeping this in mind and anticipating a third wave, the R-North ward that covers Dahisar on Sunday launched an online educational session, in which representatives of 100 societies will be sensitised about Covid-appropriate behaviours on a daily basis.

While Mumbai has not witnessed a sudden spike in Covid-19 cases over the past one month, the speculation of a third wave is not over yet. (HT File)

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said the idea behind the session is to create awareness about monsoon-related ailments which have symptoms similar to novel coronavirus.

While Mumbai has not witnessed a sudden spike in Covid-19 cases over the past one month, the speculation of a third wave is not over yet. Taking advantage of this period, BMC wants to focus on raising awareness in the non-slum areas.

“As the chance of a third wave still looms, we have decided to increase awareness among people and motivate residents to follow Covid-19 precautionary measures through online sessions. We have invited the representatives of the societies who will be sensitised about the ‘dos and don’ts’. Later, during the monthly review meetings of these societies, they can disperse the information to their residents,” said Dr Avinash Waydande, medical officer of health, R-North ward.

With the help of the ward’s councillors, the civic health department will hold the online meeting with 100 societies on a daily basis for the next two weeks. At the end of the meetings, the representatives will be provided with PPT on all the required information.

“The chairman or secretaries of the societies can use the ready-made PPT in their monthly reviews to sensitise the residents,” he added.

Along with this, the ward health department will also disperse information about monsoon-related diseases in the online sessions.

“Like every year, this year also, Mumbai is recording monsoon-related diseases such as dengue, malaria and leptospirosis, among others. Many of these diseases have symptoms similar to Covid-19. Thus, we want to raise awareness among people so that they don’t ignore timely diagnosis, which can delay their treatment of a possible Covid-19 infection,” said Dr Bhagyashree Kapse, assistant municipal officer of the ward.

On Sunday, the ward started the programme in two batches, wherein the first 100 societies participated from Dahisar (East).

“Despite being a weekend, the ward held the meeting with us for our convenience. It cleared many doubts and queries which helped provide us a better picture about Covid-appropriate behaviour. We will soon hold meetings with the residents and put up the guidelines in our society,” said Omkar Dubey from Vishnu Park Society in Rawalpada, Dahisar East where 500 residents live. “We have already ensured that all the residents above 18 years get fully vaccinated in our society,” he said.

Since the outbreak of the pandemic, the ward has recorded 22,955 Covid-19 cases.

As on October 2, R-North ward did not have any sealed buildings but had 51 sealed floors. BMC’s dashboard shows that the average seven-day growth rate of the ward stands at 0.04%— the lowest in the city.