Mumbai, Sep 25 : Two days after the Centre took note of Maharashtra's unique "My Family, My Responsibility" Covid-19 initiative, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Friday announced that the campaign will be taken ahead to create a state "Health Map" for a healthier and happier population.
The "My Family, My Responsibility" (MFMR) drive has been implemented all over the state with the participation of health workers, volunteers, Asha and Anganwadi staffers, student groups and social workers who go door-to-door to collect information on peoples' health status.
The Centre had mentioned the initiative on Wednesday when it advised 10 states, which contribute 76 per cent of the country's Covid cases, to implement a massive grassroots level Covid awareness campaign in which Maharashtra had taken a "head start", as IANS had reported on September 23.
Elaborating about the initiative, Thackeray said: "Besides those who are Covid infected, cured, post-recovery status, people are also providing information about other ailments and their general health status, and getting taught about the preventive triad of 'wearing masks, physical distancing and clean hands'.
We want to make it a peoples movement."
He was speaking after a survey of Konkan and Pune divisions on the Covid pandemic status, through video-conferencing, with ministers and top officials.
The coastal Konkan Division - with Thane, Palghar, Raigad, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg districts - has a population of around 1.93 crore comprising 48.66 lakh families for which 6,721 health squads have been deployed for the MFMR campaign and are targeting 2.17 lakh families daily, with nearly 25 percent covered till date.
"During this campaign, 1,403 fever patients were detected, another 38,658 with Corona-like symptoms were found.
The Konkan region needs 6,780 oxymeters, of which 6,420 are made available. There is a requirement for 6,666 thermal scanners of which 6,602 are provided," said Thackeray.
Additionally, another 55,268 health teams are in the field across the state and have examined 70.75 lakh families till date or 2.83 crore people, from whom nearly 38,000 suspected Covid patients were detected.
Speaking on the occasion, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar urged people to be kind and caring to Covid patients, and said the government might consider setting up 'Post-Covid Centres' for those who have recovered from the virus.
Pune Divisional Commissioner Saurabh Rao said that the district has a large number of commercial establishments, factories and industries, and as a result of MFMR, people are now participating enthusiastically as "My Factory, My Responsibility", "My Housing Society, My Responsibility", "My Locality, My Responsibility", etc.
Stating that the MFMR campaign is all-inclusive, Minister of State for Information and Public Relations Aditi Tatkare sought maximum publicity, through various media, to patients who have conquered Covid.
She said that innovative ideas have been implemented in the campaign, for instance, by depicting the Covid message through the world-renowned Warli paintings in Palghar, through 'Dashavtara' in Sindhudurg, the 'Gudi festival' in Ratnagiri, on buses, at prominent bus stops, arches and billboards, online essay competitions for children, etc.
Others present during the interaction included Guardian Ministers like Dadasaheb Bhuse (Palghar), Uday Samant (Sindhudurg), top district, police and health officials.
--IANS
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Source: IANS
