“I am more confident to give service during this pandemic situation, these materials are great to help to us,” said Anita (name changed) one of the Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) workers under Burdwan I block, in West Bengal.

The first wave of coronavirus has spared devasted the urban areas, whereas the second wave ravaged the rural population. The second wave was more severe than the first wave in terms of infection and deaths. Even Cities failed to provide needed health services and medical attention, leaving behind the rural areas where basic health facilities is a distant dream.

In this unfortunate situation, frontline health workers in the rural areas continued their services without thinking of their own protection. The cases and deaths vary widely from district to district due to hesitancy in testing and vaccination sparked by rumours, fear, stigmatization and misconception.

During the novel coronavirus pandemic, the prominence of women cadres has assumed new proportions. Since the beginning of the nationwide lockdown to curb the health crisis, these female workers have undertaken a broad range of tasks. This includes conducting surveys, making door-to-door visits, assisting with contact tracing, testing and spreading awareness. Needless to say, Anganwadi workers (AWWs) and ASHAs (alongside supervisors and Auxiliary Nurse and Midwives (ANM)) deliver services crucial to the health and well-being of the population. But most of the time their own safety was compromised for greater cause due to lack of facilities and required medical equipment’s.

Caritas come forward to ensure the safety of the Frontline workers while they devoted their life treating the Covid 19 patient during the pandemic time. Caritas India with the support from CAFOD DEC has designed a medical kit, especially for Frontline workers. In collaboration with Asansol Diocese- Asansol Burdwan Seva Kendra (ABSK), Caritas India has distributed 80 medical kits for the Frontline workers in Burgan-I Block, West Bengal.

Fr. Arbind Tirkey, Director of ABSK appreciated the contribution of the community health workers in curving down the crisis and conveyed his gratitude to Caritas India for arranging the Medical Kit. During the ceremonial distribution day, Block Development Officer-Mr. Mrinal Kanti Biswas and Block Medical Officer- Mr. Nisith Kumar Malik appreciated the thoughtfulness of Caritas India ad ABSK to support the frontline health workers, especially Asha, ANM and ICDS workers. The medical kits comprised of Steam Inhaler, Pulse Oximeter, N95 Masks, Sanitizer, Handwash and Digital Thermometer. Mr. Nisith Kumar Malik explained the uses of medical kits through a proper demonstration in the Bengali language.

Caritas India will further roll out an action plan to support 520 Frontline Workers with medical kits in the state of West Bengal through the support of local diocesan i.e., Krishnanagar, Kolkata, Darjeeling, Raiganj, Bagdogra, Siliguri, Jalpaiguri and Baruipur.