WHAT ONE RELIGIOUS PROVINCE IS DOING

 I apologize for speaking of my own congregation and province. This is not for boasting. I could get the exact details, and also know that whatever is published is being done. Many other religious, too, have been doing commendable work. We can all learn from one another, and support one another. Here is what the Salesian Province has been doing these past months to help those affected by Covid and by the lockdown. – Joe Mannath SDB

The Don Bosco Relief Services coordinate two types of activities.

1. A Helpline in every region and, if necessary, in every house. It will have a complete data of the nearby hospitals, with beds available, oxygen facility, etc., and help people to reach there.
   1. To provide relief services, namely: (a) Health Hygiene Kit; (b) Medical Kit; (c) Dry Ration; (d) Facilitating Vaccination Drive; (e) Counselling Help; (f) Care for Orphans and Semi Orphans of the Covid patients.

Four Regional Coordinators have been appointed in Chennai, Pondy, Vellore and Tirupattur to monitor the situation. The Director of Migrant Ministry is reaching out to the Migrants.

Aspects of our Intervention

1. Immediate attention is given to the medical needs of the infected (connectivity to the hospital & providing health care). For this, we have temporarily offered our infrastructure to the Government to provide medical care or to enable Covid Care Centre.
2. We are happy that Don Bosco School in Egmore-Chennai, Don Bosco School in Perambur, Sagayathottam Agricultural College, Sacred Heart College and Dominic Savio School in Tirupattur, Don Bosco College in Dharmapuri, Don Bosco School in Thalwadi, Dispensary at Vyasarpadi and Dispensary at Pope John’s Garden in Chennai have allotted certain areas for this purpose.
3. Don Bosco School in Katpadi, Vellore have permitted the vegetable market in the school campus.
4. Don Bosco School in Egmore, in Collaboration with the Greater Chennai Corporation, offers Covid Care Hospital services to the patients. It provides 104 beds with Oxygen Concentrators facility. This facility is a stepdown referral Covid care hospital attached to Government Kilpauk Medical College. Treatment at this centre is free of Charge. Some doctors of Egmore Don Bosco School Past Pupils Unit have come forward to treat the patients and other Past pupils are raising funds for other expenses for the medical team. The Government provides medicine, beds, food, sanitation, ambulance service, etc. It is a unique model wherein the entire medical personnel are provided by a private agency to address the needs of the patients.
5. Similarly, preparations are on in Don Bosco School in Perambur-Chennai with the help of the Greater Chennai Corporation to facilitate a Covid Care Hospital in the School premise with 70 Beds and Oxygen facilities.
6. Sacred Heart College in Tirupattur offers Siddha Covid Care Centre in collaboration with the Tirupattur District Collectorate. We are taking care of more than 250 patients.
7. All the medical services in other dispensaries are executed with the permission of the local Government authorities.
8. The Local Youth Service Coordinators together with a team of local volunteers, likeminded people, local CRI, etc. are executing the relief service to the needy.
9. As the Prevention measures are equally important, longtime intervention is taken along with the Government and with the help of the Educative Pastoral council members in each of the Salesian presence. Meticulous planning is underway to facilitate vaccination drive and will be organized wherever possible with help of Private and Government Hospitals particularly in the Rural Presences.
10. Don Bosco NIRAIVAGAM, the Centre for Psychological Services, is offering online counselling services in five regional languages, with help of trained Psychologists.
11. The Domestic staff and other immediate associates of our local mission are given special priority in these relief services.
12. If any of our staff gets infected, we provide them the necessary medical leave and the full salary and, if necessary, monetary help.

The above are the some of the interventions made from the Salesian Province of Chennai. The CRI salutes all other religious too who are offering similar services to the sick and to those affected by the lockdown.

Fr Joe Mannath SDB

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