Shaheen P Parshad
With a view to adding smiles to the faces of the constabulary of Tarn Taran by protecting them from COVID-19, Mission Muskaan, being run under the aegis of Amritsar-based organization ‘Muskaan’, an initiative aimed at correcting the smiles of people suffering from cleft lips, and its collaborators Toronto-based ‘Pravasi Sahaayta Foundation’, run by Mr Rajinder Saini, President and CEO, ‘Pravasi Media Group and ‘Each One, Save One’ (EOSO), handed over COVID-essentials to the Tarn Taran Police on Thursday.
Mission Muskaan provided N95 face masks, surgical masks, BP machines, nebulizers, thermometers and other life saving equipment, besides hand sanitizers, wheelchairs and weighing machines, which were handed over to SSP Tarn Taran Mr Dhruman Nimbale and SP (Narcotics) Jagjit Singh Walia. Addressing the gathering, Mr Nimbale said that being at the vanguards of the fight against the visitation in Tarn Taran, cops were often the first to be contacted by the affected residents in case of an emergency. “Not only is the constabulary shouldering the responsibility of combating the disease, but is also at a greater risk of contracting it,” he said.
Renowned singer Mr Lakhwinder Wadali, who was present on the occasion, said that COVID-19 had taken more people in its spate in the rural areas as compared to the urban areas and there was a dire need of amenities to tackle the same by spreading awareness about the disease, its prevention and cure among the masses. He lauded the efforts of Mission Muskaan and the Tarn Taran Police in this regard. “The cops are the first to be called whenever there is a COVID-related or any other emergency in the district,” he said.
In his address, Dr K S Arora, President, Indian Medical Association (IMA), Punjab, urged the residents to contact the Mission Muskaan COVID-19 helpline in case of an emergency. Dr Madhu Shankar Dewan said that Mission Muskaan includes five aspects – ambulance, helpline, free meals, concentrators and medication.
“These five features of our initiative include ambulances equipped with oxygen cylinders and drivers with a to and fro pick and drop facility for COVID-19 patients and also for ferrying corpses of those succumbing to the disease. Apart from this, we have launched the facility of round-the-clock consultancy with at least 10 MD consultants from various leading hospitals, through a 24-hour helpline. The duty roster of these specialists is being updated and shared on various whatsapp groups and social media platforms on a daily basis to enable people to have access to their services,” he said.
“COVID affected patients can contact our specialists on (91) 90416-08185 and (91) 77430 40471,” he added.
Dr Raman Chatrath, of EOSO, said that Mission Muskaan also intends to address the COVID-19 related needs of Civil Hospital, Tarn Taran, to equip it well enough to treat Coronavirus patients in the district.
“We have been apprised of their needs in this regard and we shall soon donate the requisite equipment to them as well,” he said.