HAFLONG, April 21 - �Protiorodhi Bondhus�, catering to various essential services like information dissemination and awareness, tele-psycho counselling and telemedicine, e-Pashu Chikitsa (vet advice), banking services, e-store etc., by providing support digitally, has been functional in Dima Hasao.
�Protirodhi Bondhus� is a joint initiative of Common Services Centres Special Purpose Vehicle (CSC SPV) of Assam and Assam State Disaster Management Authority to fight against the pandemic COVID-19 that will disseminate advisories and other vital information through direct and indirect modes such as live webcasting, phone call, SMS, WhatsApp, etc.
The CSC VLEs (Village Level Entrepreneur) in coordination with the field officers of DDMA will disseminate advisories, related information including dos and don�ts issued by the Health department and DDMA for the purpose of information, dissemination and awareness.
To ensure healthy mental care of citizens, especially elderly and children, staying at home for long times and buried with an avalanche of information � often unreliable � could lead to fear, anxiety, distressed behaviour and trauma. Live counselling sessions with empanelled psychologists is being organised at such centres as necessary and medication is also prescribed as required.
Thus, a telemedicine platform is created where patients seek doctors� advice through live video-based interactive tele-consultation about non-emergency medical problems reducing the already over-burdened healthcare system in the wake of he pandemic situation. Three specialities viz., allopathy, ayurveda and homeopathy are presently available. The Protirodhi Bondhus also help in getting medicines from nearby pharmacies.
Healthcare of farmers� livestock is taken care of through e-Pashu Chikitsa which facilitates farmers to seek veterinarian�s advice right from their residence for any illness or disease of their livestock. The farmers can either call up the VLE helpdesk or visit nearby CSCs for appointment with veterinary doctors empanelled in the system.
Banking services is taken care of through Digipay � an Aadhar-enabled payment system that enables CSCs to cater to the needs of financial services in far-flung and banking-deprived areas of the country which also ensures reduction of crowding in banks. CSCs are already providing banking services across all districts of States to relax the process of DBT under the Garib Kalyan Scheme starting from April, when money is being transferred into the accounts of farmers and also those under Jan Dhan Yojana.
Further CSC points are being utilized as stock and distribution points of essential commodities or even groceries and vegetables in coordination with the district administration. Orders may be placed to the CSCs through phone call, SMS or WhatsApp for delivery of items at their doorsteps. This service for now has been functional in three points i.e., in Maibang, Langting and Laisong.
This is an effort to meet all possible logistical needs to cope with the challenges emerging from the prevalent situation worldwide including the State of Assam. Stress has emerged as the new challenge in the time of lockdown and prohibitory orders have seriously affected mental health of many people. Fear of financial insecurity coupled with non-availability of basic services related to day-to-day life and livelihood of the people have hurt people which may have a further psychological impact on individuals and families as a whole.
