Residents of Satier sector under Mokokchung district have come together to set up a COVID-19 first aid centre.
Satier sector sets up COVID-19 first aid centre
Limasenla Jamir
Mokokchung| June 24
Satier sector is a small residential area, with about 28 families, located 11kms away from Aliba village on the Mokokchung-Mariani highway and almost 30 kms away from Mokokchung town.
The sector was created in 2006 under the initiative of the Aliba Village Council and the Aliba Concerned Forum with the aim to generate employment and grow towards self-sufficiency. It was only recently in February 2020 that the sector was formally inaugurated as a pig breeding center by the government of Nagaland.
With the increase in COVID-19 cases in the district, many villages in the district have restricted entry of outsiders or people living away from the village. Satier sector, being located away from Aliba village, the residents are not allowed entry into the village. As such, they do not have access to any medical services in the area.
“Though we are a part of Aliba village, we live 11 kms away from the village gate and because of this, we are not allowed entry into the village. We do not have any health centers in and around the area, the nearest being our village. If anyone gets sick we have nowhere to go and if there are any emergency cases, we have to go till Mokokchung Town,” said Tatongchuchang, Chairperson of Satier sector.
With what little they have, residents of Satier sector have come together to set up a COVID-19 first aid centre. They have turned a marketing shed into a temporary health centre with six members to take care of the health Centre which also includes two senior nurses and a pharmacist, who are all residents of the sector.
“A lot of travellers stop at our sector because of our location and every day we come into contact with a lot of people, especially truck drivers and handymen. For now, we do not have any positive cases in the area but our location poses a threat and therefore we found it a necessity to have at least a first aid centre,” said LanuakumImchen, a senior resident of the sector.
“We do not have any required equipment and facilities but we have made all contacts and arrangements ready if any severe cases arise in the sector. We have set up this centre with donations from all residents of the sector starting from curtains, paints, wood etc and we are hoping that with time, the centre will have all the required facilities,” added Imliakum, the Convenor of the six member committee.
Our main aim is to help save a life, said the convenor. “Being located in the highway, a lot of times we witness accidents and emergency incidents that require medical attention, but all we can do is help them by taking them to Mokokchung hospitals in our vehicles. We are hoping that this first aid centre will become a permanent centre and will help anyone in need in the future,” he further added.
