Thiruvananthapuram: Now onwards, the neighbourhood forums working under the existing ward-level committee in each ward would decide whether a COVID-19 patient could continue with his treatment at home or not. If the patient is allowed to remain at home, the neighbourhood committee should ensure that the patient and those who are on the contact list are undergoing proper quarantine at home. The order to this effect was issued by the Additional Chief Secretary of the Local Administration Department.
Forum's responsibilities
The forum ensures that patients are treated at home. Only if need arises, the patients be shifted to hospitals. If it is a serious case, send it to the Domiciliary Covid-care Centre (DCC) or primary health centre. Those who complain of cough, chest pain, giddiness and blood-filled phlegm should be given immediate medical aid.
Anybody on the contact list of the patient, other than relatives, can be sent on quarantine with the support of the help desk working in the respective local body. In case of any violation by the persons asked to go on quarantine, the matter can be reported to police or sectoral magistrate or village officer and steps be taken to fine them. If all family members in a house are in quarantine, medicines and essential food items will be supplied to them by the neighbourhood forum.
Forum's structure
The respective ward committee is entrusted with the task of setting up the neighbourhood forum. The forum will act as a sub-committee of the ward-level committee.
In the local body wards, where COVid-19 cases are high, a neighbourhood forum can be formed for a group of 50 houses taken as a single COVID-19 cluster.
The responsibilities of the forum members are to identify those in the contact list and to check whether the identified persons follow COVID-19 protocol at home.
The forum would divide among its members the responsibility of supplying essential items and medicines to the houses where all members are undergoing quarantine .
The members of the voluntary organisations, the resident association and Kudumbasree, and Janamaithri police personnel would be included in the neighbourhood forums.
