Eastern COVID-19 Task Force is engaging local communities in combating COVID-19 in the areas along the border. The task force has appointed 175 COVID-19 village representatives in the gewogs in Pema Gatshel and Samdrup Jongkhar. This is in view of the increasing COVID-19 cases in the country.
Officials of the Eastern COVID-19 Task Force visited Chhoekhorling and Dechhenling Gewogs in Pema Gatshel yesterday. They met with the local leaders in the gewogs to identify COVID-19 village representatives. The representatives will gather information on people’s movement into and out of the village.
“We are putting this plan in place to prevent the pandemic. If it ever comes into country then it is much easier to deal with. And it is also to prevent it from coming into the country,” said Dorji Dukpa, a member of the Eastern COVID-19 Task Force.
The village representatives monitor the movement of people in the community after signing the letter of undertaking with the task force. This is to ensure early detection and prevent the transmission of the virus in the community.
“For an example, there are 10 households under one representative. He or she can easily monitor the people going out of their village and other people coming into their village. So, it will make it easier for us to monitor their movement,” said Dechhenling Gup Sonam Rinchen.
“We are educated on how to create awareness to the public on the roles of the community representatives. We have submitted the name of representatives and even signed the undertaking letter to serve until the pandemic subsides,” added Serthig Tshogpa, Sonam Dema.
Thinley Dorji, Pema Gatshel
