Female teagarden workers and their families are being sensitized on COVID-19 prevention through the Joint SDG programme.
During the COVID 19 pandemic, female teagarden workers are continuing to labour in the teagardens and are at high risk of COVID-19 infection. The teagarden workers are living in hard to reach areas of the gardens. They have limited opportunities to know and learn about COVID-19 prevention. Considering the emergency and extreme need of people left behind, as a part of this initiative, with support from the JP, the Civil Surgeon (CS) office of Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) has provided necessary guidance and messaging to launch miking campaign for awareness of the female workers and their families.
The CS of Moulvibazar district officially launched the miking campaign on COVID-19 in 10 selected SDG intervention teagardens. BCSU members, teagarden managers, local panchayat members, implementation partners and UN agencies participated. UNFPA supported the Civil Surgeon office on behalf of four agencies in organizing the campaign.
“The coronavirus infection is a global pandemic, and Bangladesh has been highly affected. The number of infections is rising every day. Therefore, it has become urgent to raise mass awareness on this issue, particularly in the marginalized teagarden community who are leaving behind are at high risk.”- The Civil Surgeon, Moulvibazar stated.
Miking is continuing at the temples, mosques, factory and health facilities at the teagardens. The local language of the communities is used in miking. The Panchayat president of one of the teagarden ‘Chaltapur’ said,
“This miking on COVID-19 prevention is most effective in our garden. We were not aware of Corona virus; the information we are now getting will help us a lot. Our other panchayat members will try to motivate our workers to practice as advised.”- Sadan Bauri, Ponchayet President, Chatlapore garden, Kulaura, Moulvibazar
During daytime work at the teagardens, the female workers listen to the messages and receive leaflets as circulated by the Civil Surgeon office. Another panchayat president from ‘Moulvi’ tea garden stated,
“This is the first time that such an important messages have been delivered on COVID-19 through miking. We had much confusion about this disease; through this miking our female teagarden workers able to know the correct information. We need to continue this initiative to make sure each of the garden workers are reached, aware and protected from coronavirus” – Mr Sree Gian Urang, Ponchayet President, Moulvi garden, Sadar, Moulvibazar
