Surveillance system for COVID-19 in urban areas should be strengthened: Health Ministry guidelines

Surveillance system for COVID-19 in urban areas should be strengthened and strict perimeter control be maintained in containment zones with Section 144 enforced to ensure people remain in their dwelling units, according to the health ministry's guidelines on coronavirus management in urban settlements released on Saturday.

In most of the cities or towns, the disease surveillance system is not as well organised as in the rural areas, the health ministry guidance document for preparedness and response to COVID-19 in urban settlements said, asserting that this is more so pronounced in these urban settlements.

"Hence, the surveillance system shall be strengthened for surveillance and contact tracing mechanism. This would include identification of the health workers in the health posts/dispensaries, Auxiliary Nurse Midwife (ANM), ASHAs, Anganwadi Workers, municipal health staff, sanitation staff, community health volunteers and other volunteers etc," the guidance document said.

An orientation training will be organised by the Chief Medical Officer or Executive Health Officer to train the identified surveillance workers which would emphasize on the basic information on COVID-19, orientation on basic Dos and Don'ts with focus on hand hygiene, respiratory hygiene, environmental sanitation and use of face covers/masks.

The training would also emphasise on active case search through questionnaire during field visit, listing and tracking of contacts, recording temperature with handheld thermometer, recording oxygen saturation with pulse oximeter, identification of high risk individuals based on contact history, age, and co-morbidities, inter-personal communication with households for creating awareness on COVID-19 and other essential health service, addressing stigma, health seeking behaviour and other issues, and establishing rapport with the community.

Informal settlements within cities that may have mushroomed due to migration have inadequate housing and poor living conditions, the document noted.

According to 2011 Census, there are 2,613 towns/cities such settlements with
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If feasible, the relief centers in the containment zone may be geo-tagged and