IDIA Organizing Covid-19 Relief Efforts In West Bengal; Sets Up Isolation Centers, Boat Ambulances, Creates Database Of Resources

Isolation Centers in Villages of West Bengal

IDIA will be setting up isolation centers in rural areas for people with mild symptoms of COVID-19. These isolation centers will be equipped with beds, medicines, oxymeters, thermometers and other basic requirements. Doctors would also be available on video call. However, if the symptoms exacerbate the patients will be moved to a hospital.

The first of the many such isolation centers has been set up at the Murokhali village in Sundarbans. It can also accommodate people from the following nearby villages: Choto Geokhali, Boro Geokhali, Chak, Purandar, Krishanagar.

Boat Ambulances

In Sundarbans, many remote villages are best accessible through the waterways. In order to meet the needs of these remote villages, IDIA will be setting up boat ambulances as currently people are using public transport to cross the rivers. These ambulances are also expected to reduce the time of reach the hospital by half.

The first such ambulance has been set up at Purbashripatinagar under Patharpratima police station which is in a remote corner of Sunderbans. It has been equipped with medicines, thermometer, pulse oxymeter, sanitisers, mineral water, PPE kits for attendants and boatman etc.

Database of Resources for West Bengal

IDIA has also prepared a database of resources for certain districts of West Bengal that will be useful for those fighting COVID-19. It can be accessed at: http://bit.ly/covid-resources-WestBengal.

The database contains leads for hospital beds, oxygen cylinders and concentrators, plasma / blood donation centres, ambulance services, Covid testing centres, home care facilities, online doctor consultations, and meals delivery services. The leads in the database are verified and updated periodically by a team of around 40 volunteers.

IDIA has also set up a helpline for those facing any trouble in accessing/ understanding the database. Volunteers will be available on the following numbers between 10:30 am to 7:30 pm:

+91 8972240058

+91 7207161695

+91 8240798829

IDIA would also like to urge the people who use the database to intimate them via text, if a particular lead from their database has been helpful, so that the same may be highlighted for others. Note: People should make any payments only after further verification of the leads and at their own risk.

Other Efforts

IDIA will also be taking the following relief efforts:

• Launching Covid-19 sensitization drives along with distribution of masks, soaps, etc.
• Establish blood donation camps.
• Organizing medical tests, including oxymeter checks, at centers in rural West Bengal.

You can help IDIA in its work by contributing and volunteering. To contribute, please visit, https://bit.ly/idia-response-to-covid19. For volunteering, please write to arnab@idialaw.org.

About IDIA Charitable Trust

IDIA is a pan-India movement to train underprivileged students and help transform them into leading lawyers and community advocates. IDIA is premised on the notion that access to premier legal education empowers marginalized communities and helps them help themselves. IDIA selects and trains students from underprivileged backgrounds (IDIA Trainees) to crack top law entrance examinations in India. Once they are admitted to top law colleges, it provides a scholarship to these students (IDIA Scholars) that comprises financial support, training and mentorship among other things.

Read more about IDIA here: https://www.idialaw.org/

Get in touch with IDIA on email: info@idialaw.org