How Asia's largest slum curbed the Covid-19 outbreak

When the first case of coronavirus was reported in Asia's largest slum, it rang warning bells for the authorities, who had the daunting task of curbing the virus outbreak in the cramped and poorly sanitised conditions of Dharavi. Nonetheless, the BMC was quick to spring to action. After a case of reported in one of the densest parts of the slums characterized by narrow alleyways and common washrooms, a number of health officials began their work by sanitizing more than 400 toilets, conducting door - to - door screening and blocking entrances to the area where the infected person was reported.

Without wasting time for cases to come to them, the authorities started conducting aggressive testing to "chase down the virus." From roping in private practitioners to isolating vulnerable populations immediately, after two months of gruelling efforts against the virus, the Dharavi model, as they call it, managed to flatten the coronavirus curve as no other had. While the world was implementing social distancing and lockdown to combat the virus, Dharavi, where the two were infinitely impossible to undertake, fought against all odds to rise against the virus.

In April, Dharavi had 491 cases with a 12% growth rate and a case doubling period of 18 days. However, with several measures undertaken by the state government and local authorities doubling time improved to 43 days in May and 78 days in June, the health ministry said.

Only 59 cases have been reported in July, and mortality rates are extremely low in the area. Dharavi is finally stirring to life after 100 days in containment, but issues remain for the residents. Even though food packets were delivered during the "lockdown" in Dharavi, the virus has killed its economy. Home to about 8.5 lakh people, the sprawling slum in the heart of Mumbai is home to migrant workers, plumbers, sweepers etc, and there has been a spike in distress calls from these areas owing to the loss of jobs for these people. It will indeed be a perilous job for the residents to earn their livelihood, and even though they might have killed the virus, hunger might kill many of them.

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Writer: Mannat Kandal

Image Courtesy: cnn.com