Get To Know The Duties Of Village Volunteers In Handling COVID-19

Head of Balitbang, Education, Training, and Information of the Ministry of PDTT Eko Sri Haryanto (Photo: BNPB documentation)

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Villages, Disadvantaged Areas and Transmigration (Kemendes PDTT) has issued Circular Number 2 of 2020, one of which contains the work of village volunteers in dealing with the COVID-19 virus outbreak.

The Village Volunteer is chaired by the village head, the representative is the local BPBD. Village volunteer members are village officials, RT, RW, community leaders, and professionals.

"The main task of village volunteers is to create an information center for the prevention and handling of COVID-19. Village volunteers must anticipate how to prevent, find out about transmission to handling symptoms," said Head of Balitbang, Education, Training and Information Ministry of Health PDTT Eko Sri Haryanto at Graha BNPB, Jakarta. East, Tuesday, March 31.

Eko said, volunteers must recognize the symptoms of corona virus infection. When a resident has a cough, runny nose, sore throat, and shortness of breath, village volunteers must coordinate with the local government to take action.

Their special task is that village volunteers must record data on people who are prone to illness from marginalized groups. Those who were recorded were the elderly, susceptible to chronic disease, and children under five.

In addition, village volunteers coordinated the spraying of disinfectants and provided a place to wash hands with running water. This activity can take sources of funds from village funds.

"This is a form of non-physical cash labor. Local villagers can work at home, then they make the antiseptic," said Eko.

Next, the volunteer task is to collect data and prepare a special, representative place as an isolation room. Then, volunteers must set up a guard post at the village gate to monitor the mobility of residents. Volunteers must record guests or people from outside parties, especially areas affected by COVID-19.

"Now there are many people who are going back and forth. Those in the villages have to start guarding the places that enter the village area itself," said Eko.

In addition, volunteers must ensure that there are no crowds. This is because the situation in close proximity to community associations causes a high transmission rate.

It is hoped that the village government will not give permission to the community to carry out activities. When there were still residents who were desperate, the village government together with resa volunteers disbanded with the help of babinsa or babin kamtibmas.

Next, from the community data collection, village volunteers recommended that villagers who were less healthy to self-quarantine or isolate themselves.

All activities to handle the COVID-19 virus, said Eko, could be funded from the village budget. "We hope that the village and its people must start taking preventive measures and coordinating with local governments," he concluded.