Bhubaneswar: With a view to reaching out to the vulnerable sections of society, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC), Friday, launched a mobile App ‘Sachetak’ to help people both physically and emotionally during crisis.
Developed jointly by the BMC and Bhubaneswar Smart City Limited (BSCL), the app works as a one-stop-solution for providing various services such as fixing an appointment with doctors nearby, options for home delivery of essential items and medicines and updates about Covid-19 situation including quarantine centres, number of quarantined persons in a particular locality, number of positive cases and deaths.
Moreover, the users can find information on green, red, orange and containment zones with regard to the Covid-19 pandemic. The Sachetak app is currently available for download on the Google play store and Apple app store and can also be viewed on www.sachetakapp.in . One can register himself/herself into the app by providing details like age, occupation, address, ward number, disease and details about your doctors and caregivers to avail the benefits.
Attending the launching ceremony, Director of Health Services, Bijay Kumar Mohapatra, said, “Each one of us has to follow all necessary guidelines and Covid-19 advisories such as physical distancing, hand washing and wearing masks to protect ourselves from the deadly novel coronavirus. The purpose of the campaign is to inform, educate and motivate people to change their habits, behaviours and social etiquettes to adapt to the new realities and learn how to live with the virus.”
In order to sensitise citizens about the app, the BMC has formed Ward Level Committees of its three zones. Each committee comprises around 25 members selected from different groups such as Biju YuvaVahini Members, Local and Active SHG Groups, NGOs, Local volunteers and Local Club Members.
These committee members are designated as ‘COVID Sachetak’ and they will create awareness among citizens in different wards in ensuring strict adherence of Covid-19 norms like wearing masks, social distancing, hand washing and educating people not to stigmatise or socially boycott people infected with the coronavirus.
Moreover, the Covid Sachetaks will have to monitor the family under home quarantine about their adherence of guidelines and also make provision for smooth supply of household essentials/medicines to them.
“Besides, ID cards and health kits (comprising one bottle of handwash, 50 handmade masks, 5 hand gloves and 30 vitamin C capsules) will be provided to COVID-19 Sachetaks which they will use while conducting awareness in various areas in the city,” informed BMC Commissioner, Prem Chandra Chaudhary.
The Commissioner further said, “Supporting and protecting older people living alone in the community should be everyone’s responsibility. We will emerge from this pandemic, having paid a high price, battered and bruised, but more resilient and readier in the future”.