The efforts of the Kerala government to form Covid Brigades with volunteers to strengthen the health infrastructure is facing a setback as a major chunk of those who volunteered to be part of the Brigades are backtracking in the last minute owing to social compulsions.
Health experts have projected that Kerala would witness steep spike in Covid-19 cases by September. Hence the government decided to open at least one Covid-19 first-line treatment centre (CFLTC) in each panchayat, municipality and corporation. So far over 50,000 CFLTC beds were set up.
However, there was an inadequate number of health workers even after health workers of AYUSH stream were deployed. Subsequently, the Covid Brigades were formed using volunteers, offering honorarium ranging from Rs. 20,000 to Rs. 58,000.
Nearly 20,000, mainly youngsters, have so far registered for joining the Covid brigade, which included doctors, nurses, lab technicians and other health staff. The first batch of 26 members was deployed to CFLTCs in Kasargod and the second batch of ten was deputed to Pathanamthitta.
Health Department sources said that many of those who register on the portal for becoming volunteers were unwilling to turn up in the last stage. It was mainly due to demotivation from the family and social compulsions. Around 300 were planned for the first batch, of which only 26 were there finally, said a health department official.
Health department officials also said that since the state might require a large number of volunteers, a massive awareness is required to attract more volunteers to come forward.
Deputy superintendent of Thiruvananthapuram medical college hospital Dr Santosh Kumar, who trained the first batch, said that the volunteers were being given training in ICU and Critical Care management also apart from other basics.
At present the rush at CFLTCs in the state came down as the state started home care option for those with mild symptoms and asymptomatic Covid-19 patients, he said.