Odisha’s Rayagada Scripts Success In COVID Combat; Registers 3% TPR

Rayagada: The unlock measures in Rayagada have yielded positive results in the last 14 days with the district witnessing a decline in test positivity rate (TPR), case fatality rate, bed occupancy, active caseload and a rise in patients getting cured of COVID infection.

According to statistics provided by CDM&PHO, Rayagada, four COVID care centres are functional in the district – Bissam Cuttack, Tadama, Penta and Gunupur apart from the COVID Hospital at JKPur with 720 beds. Till Wednesday, only 2.77%  or 20 of the total beds were occupied.

The district’s recovery rate too has been high with 96.3% (18,231) while the TPR stands at 3% pushing Rayagada to the Green zone with 515 active cases. A total of 144 deaths have been recorded during the first and second wave.

However, State Coordinator of Media Cares, Ranjan Rath said the target is reach the target of zero cases but with a third wave predicted by the health experts no complacency should be shown towards COVID care.

“Taking the example of neighbouring district Ganjam which managed to achieve lowest TPR, active cases and other parameters of the Green Zone  after registering the highest active cases & death rate, our aim is to better our health care facility and provide best care to the people,” he said.

“We have demanded CM Naveen Patnaik for a second COVID  hospital by Utkal Alumina as a permanent health infrastructure. Once established, it will help in checking deaths due to COVID and other co-morbidities,” he stated.

Despite the hardships and taboos that the tribals associate with of vaccination, the administration managed to reach inaccessible villages and begin the inoculation process. As many as 800 villages are still inaccessible by fair weather roads.

Superintendent of Police Vivekanada Sharma took the lead in making these Primarily Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) Dongria Kondhs aware about the good effects of vaccines.

Though the target of vaccination for Rayagada district is 2,67,582 for 45 years & above, only 1,15,438 & 29,235 have taken 1st & 2nd dose respectively.

Against the target of 4,19,540 for the 18-44 group, 53,393 have taken the 1st dose recording an achievement rate of 12.73%.

Assistant Programme Manager, NHM, Rayagada, Kiran Kumar Patra said there were challenges like rumours regarding vaccination in tribal villages but with the help of Community Resource Persons all these could be easily overcome.

“Inspite of all the bottlenecks, we are in 10th position as far as vaccination drive is concerned. In the last three days, the vaccination could not be carried out though there was demand for the 45 plus group for 2nd dose,” said Rajesh Pattanaik, District Programme Manager, NHM, Rayagada.

Two women CRPs Sushanti Mallick and Bedu Wadaka, who speak  Kui, the language of Dongria Kondhs, went from house to house with digital thermometer, oximeters and few life saving drugs, soaps and sanitisers conducting swab tests.

They also spread message on corona through folklore. They also go to households for follow up and monitor their health at ground zero, said Pattanaik.

Additional District Magistrate, Sarat Chandra Panda; Project Director, DRDA-cum-Nodal Officer for Covid-19, Maheswar Nayak congratulated the CRPs for their efforts.