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Vaccination Is better than the Treatment: Combating the COVID-19 Disease

A virtual Master Training of Trainers (ToT) to educate communities on COVID-19 via ZOOM was jointly organized by the Centre for Self-help Development (CSD) and RMDC Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha Ltd. on 16th September 2021 (Bhadra 31st, 2078). The resource persons in the program were Dr. D.S.K. Rao who has been working on the integration of health and microfinance since a decade, Dr. Soumittra Dutta working in Reginal MAHP Manager and Freedom from Hunger, and Mr. Aloke Chakraborty, a consultant working in the grass root i.e. community level of India delivering awareness on health and module of microfinance. They have previously worked with Freedom from Hunger and Results Educational Fund. They are convinced that the module on COVID-19 would help microfinance institutions and NGOs to educate and empower the community through microfinance credit group women in Nepal on preventive measures of COVID-19.

The main motive of this training was to bust myths and conceptions regarding COVID-19 and providing practical facts that will help in lowering the contracting rate in Nepalese communities. The ToT focused on the dissemination of awareness among the staffs of cooperatives operating microfinance programs. Experts are arguing that the third wave is imminent, though its timing and intensity cannot be predicted accurately. It is also stated that the third wave might affect the children more. So, this will help tremendously in minimizing the risk once the communities are aware about the ways to cope with current vulnerable situation. The areas of learning covered in this training have provided good opportunities to the participants to identify the issues related to the current COVID-19 pandemic and to commit to make changes in the behavior of the participants and their families to face and mitigate the challenges.

Speaking at the opening of the ToT, Mr. Shankar Man Shrestha, Chairman of CSD extended his heartily welcome to the resource person, master trainers and the participants. He said "First TT held to educate the communities on COVID-19 was well received by the participants and was a grand success. Applauding as it sounds the Jeevan Bikas Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha Ltd. has done a spectacular job by training their 138 branch managers, 700 field staffs and 1,00,000 group member. After the dissemination of the awareness through the training most of the staffs were reluctant to take the vaccine and also the credit group members were keen to understand the importance of being vaccinated. MFIs in Nepal have started their monthly center meeting and loan disbursement by following the protocol set by the health advisory of the Government of Nepal". The ToT has benefitted the whole country. He also thanked Dr. D.S.K. Rao for being a catalyst to arranging this training.

Dr. Rao started the introductory session by articulating "Technical input is not enough, changing the behavior and mental attitude is quintessential. The training module helps to change the mentality of trainers and is ideally suited for the MFIs."

The first half was moderated by Dr. Soumittra Dutta where he covered two sessions. COVID-19: the journey So far, identifying the current information on how COVID-19 spreads and future challenges that can occur and discussed the common as well as not so common signs and symptoms of COVID-19. In his first discussion he stated correct preventive measures against the disease and asked to be committed to protect the community from the virus. The 2nd session orbited on COVID-19: Let's Fight it. He shared that in order to withstand it we must identify the common symptoms of COVID-19 for testing and follow the home care as per advisement by the doctor. The danger signs of the disease must be recognized sooner for a referral. He shared the importance of wearing a mask and how it barriers the virus from entering our respiratory system.

Mr. Aloke Chakraborty resourced the remaining second half covering two sessions. He clarified some misconceptions on COVID-19 disease and discussed its impact on our lives. He then explained how the families and community can overcome the impact. He even shed light on how MFIs, Cooperative, and the members should be committed to support families struggling with the COVID-19 infected patients. "To defeat the COVID-19, vaccination is a must". He made the participants realize the importance of vaccination in protection against the COVID-19. He then discussed the facts and myths about the COVID-19 vaccines. He stated that we must maintain the COVID-19 appropriate behavior even after a person is fully vaccinated.

The vote of thanks was delivered by Mr. Jyoti Chandra Ojha, Chief Executive Officer of the RMDC Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha Ltd. He conversed that the "Cooperatives are indeed very capable to circulate the awareness retrieved from this ToT. All the effective outreach relies upon the distribution of this knowledge by the staff and group members of the institutions. This was a huge opportunity for us to receive an international ToT.

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