An ACT to mask up!

Volunteers distributing face masks to vegetable vendors at a market in Dimapur. (Morung Photo)

Volunteers distributing face masks to vegetable vendors at a market in Dimapur. (Morung Photo)

Morung Express News
Dimapur | February 7

Masks are a simple barrier to help prevent your respiratory droplets from reaching others. As COVID-19 spread all across the world, many of us became aware of how important face masks are. 

Even with the coming of vaccines, healthcare officials from the World Health Organization (WHO), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and institutions around the world have continued urging people to wear face masks as a way to prevent the transmission of the virus.

Recognizing the importance of face masks, the Eleutheros Christian Society (ECS) has donated 35,000 medical-grade masks to frontline workers to support health-care organisations and other essential workers in the ongoing battle against COVID-19 in Dimapur district.

NAP (IR) personnel wearing the masks distributed by the ECS. (Morung Photo)

The initiative was launched with the help of the Action COVID-19 Team Grant (ACT)—a Rs 100 crore grant created by India’s start-up community to give wings to ideas that could combat the virus with immediate impact.

In January 2021, the ECS collaborated with The Morung Express to identify health care facilities and institutions, government establishments as well as civil organisations and individuals and distribute the masks.

Subsequently, a distribution drive was conducted and the masks were given out to at least 70 organisations which included government and private hospitals and clinics, media houses, banks, courier services, district administration and municipal council, the police force, churches, etc. Street distribution sessions were also conducted in the local markets and masks were handed out to street vendors, shops selling essential commodities, petrol pumps, saloons, bakeries and others, by volunteers from the Dimapur Khensa Students Union and The Lighthouse Church, Dimapur.

The distribution drive garnered positive response from various quarters.

Expressing gratitude to the ECS for making a ‘meaningful difference,’ Kakheli Inato Jimo, Secretary, Department of Women Ministry, WSBAK, said, “We so admire the important work that you are doing to protect us all during this difficult time. The steadfast support from you and your team has lifted our spirits and buoyed our strength.” 

A volunteer handing out face masks to a DMC sanitation worker in Dimapur. (Morung Photo)

Similarly, Pastor of the Chümoukedima Police Baptist Church, A Temsu Longkumer stated that the free masks have proven beneficial not only for the church members but also the ‘jawans’ at the Chümoukedima Police Complex. He informed after receiving the masks, even those who had been careless about wearing masks, no longer have an excuse not to wear them.

The Commandant, NAP Training Centre Chümoukedima, also sent a note of gratitude to the ECS and ACT Grant Foundation, acknowledging their support. “We are encouraged by your noble gesture as we stand united in the fight against the dreaded COVID-19, and Team NAPTC remains encouraged and look forwards for your valuable support in the days to come,” the note stated.

According to the ECS, the ACT Grant initially supported Tuensang and Mon districts by providing 15,000 and 10,000  N95 masks respectively. In addition, ECS also received  2,000 RT PCR kits for 2,000 reactions, 10,000 RNA extractor kits and 10,000 VTMs for the BSL II lab in Tuensang.

The ECS informed that the most engaging sign of partnership was when the ACT Grant decided to provide 2 lakh N95 masks for distribution among front line workers in Nagaland, at the cost of Re 1 per mask. It expressed gratitude to the HCL Foundation, Wipro Cares and MILAP for their contribution towards procuring Rs 2 lakh for the masks, which would have otherwise cost Rs 120 per mask at local market rates.

“The pandemic had a very dynamic effect in the way we do our work and it is in this context that we had to engage both with the community and with the various government agencies,” the ECS stated. Some of the initial response by ECS was coordinating with the District Task Force and various church agencies, supporting efforts to raise funds towards providing rations for the stranded and also providing PPEs and testing kits for hospitals.