If AASU wanted to…

COVID-19 management in Dharavi has been an inspiring story so far. For different social environments and at different scales, the COVID-19 management approach and techniques would be different.

What could possibly be a native solution for Assam?

The AASU has the experience and capacity of mobilizing mass movements at grassroots level. It has done so time and again... during the Assam Movement of 1980s...and more recently during the CAA protests.

In the worsening COVID-19 situation, when government services are going to be overwhelmed by surge in infected patients, people must know how to live with the virus.

In this difficult situation it is an opportune time for the AASU to play the saviour by mobilizing yet another mass movement, which this time is to fight COVID-19 in every nook and corner of the region by:

• Joining hands with the government,

• Creating extensive mass awareness,

• Glorifying the use of masks, practising physical distancing and frequent hand washing.

• Mobilizing resources for isolation centers, food and primary health care.

• Mobilizing NGOs and volunteers for facilitating isolation of the infected and transporting the serious patients to hospital.

• Honouring the health care professionals in public functions.

The government needs to focus on maintaining supply chains and on using its huge resources in expanding test centres and operating all government and private hospitals on an overdrive.

Chinmoy K Dutta,

(chinmoykdutta@gmail.com)