Covid-19 and Rural Areas of Sindh
It
was alarming for me to see some people from cities like Sajawal ( where some
cases of corona tested positive) ,Hyderabad and Karachi (where most of the
cases found positive) were visiting their relatives in villages near by mine
and locals were meeting and greeting them warmly, following their tradition.
But they were very less aware of consequences, if the epidemic gets ignited in
rural of areas of Sindh which are far worse than the urban because of their
illiteracy, direct contact with animals and unavailability of health system.
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| Social distancing message |
First
and foremost, challenge or factor which can make corona disease inexorable in
rural Sindh is less educated or completely illiterate masses. Because of this,
it's very hard to aware them about this dangerous disease and preventive
measures. When I asked a person, who was meeting with his relatives when
arrived from Sajawal by private car, that why he is allowing the danger for his
beloved ones in his home? he replied " There is nothing like Corona but an
agenda of government to get their loans forgiven". Matter of life and
death is in hands of ALLAH, nothing will happen to us because of our Pir who is
praying for us, he added. In addition to this, as their lives are relatively
less affected as compare to people in cities that's why they don't take it seriously
and don't follow prevention like washing hands, avoid going in crowded places
and other necessary guidelines by WHO to follow. Even I didn't observe any
doctor and nurse at nearby hospitals, police, and shopkeeper using masks and
gloves as they are the people from whom chances of spreading virus are maximum.
Second,
as villagers do come in direct contact with animals like goats, sheep and cows
etc. Which can be one of main sources of transmission of virus from one body to
another if a single person tested positive. And if it's transmitted from human
to animals then it will be dangerous to be cured and its effects will last
longer due to unbreakable chain as we have lack of medical facilities even for
human, who cares for animals' recoveries. "These goats are my only source
income, who will feed them, if I avoid going near to them?" a farmer
questioned against my advice of avoid going near to animals.
Last
but not least challenge is unavailability of testing centers in rural areas and
lack of hospitals nearby villages. For instance, think about a person who got
infected of this deadly virus but due to unavailability of testing center he or
she didn't get tested immediately and he kept his movement unchanged then you
can yourself imagine the situation.! In addition to this if infected person got
hospitalized in a medical center where there is no prevention dress for doctors
and medical staff, because of this, cases will be multiplied and then squared
and these operation will go on
.
In conclusion, I
want to advice people that they should not create difficulties for themselves
by don't taking this current epidemic seriously and following preventing
guidelines by state. Here some educated youth in rural areas as well as cities
should act responsibly and educate the people in their homes and villages ( via
mobile phone) about prevention measures. And urban people, who want to visit
their relatives at villages must wait until it is all over, they should think
about these helpless fellows. In the last government should keep its eyes on
rural areas too. They should pre-plan effectively and efficiently to protect
the unaffected areas.
Writer: Din Muhammad
Campaign: Dare To Write
