COVID-19: Mewat Community radio in Haryana brings in awareness among people on coronavirus

Mewat Community radio in the Nuh district of Haryana, has brought in awareness on coronavirus among the villagers by removing myths and rumours regarding it through broadcasting programs, narrowcasting and various meetings in the rural areas.

Archana, the founder of Radio Mewat said, the focus of the community radio was to inform them about the COVID appropriate behaviour and encourage them to follow all the guidelines.

"Mewat is a most backward district of India and there was so many myths, misinformation and a huge factory of fake news. At that time radio took it on itself to communicate with the community. We started simplifying advisories of WHO and Health Ministry to people and made them understand about the world situation regarding coronavirus. Every day we use to broadcast four-five hours programmes on COVID-19," said the founder of Radio Mewat.

Archana further said that the Radio Mewata also provided employment by involving women in making masks.

"Besides awakening people about COVID appropriate behaviour and guidelines, there were other issues dealt at separately by the Mewat Radio, such as livelihood, migrants problem. Radio Mewat engaged 285 women for making masks and paid them for that work. We made around 68,000 masks and distributed them for free to understand the importance of masks," she said.

While talking to ANI, Sorabh khan, station manager at Mewat Community radio informed that the doctors and experts were invited to educate about the COVID-19 pandemic.

"To sensitize people, we opted for three ways. In the beginning, we made a programme and broadcasted it. We also played recorded programs and asked doctors to sit live on the radio and gave answers to all the myths people had in their minds. We also held meetings with people and created an awareness among people," Shorab said.

Imran Khan, a Radio reporter at the station they started a series on COVID-19, in which we talked to the district administration, people in the community, social workers and COVID survivors.

Another reporter said, there was a fear among villagers that if they will take the vaccination, women won't be able to conceive or people will die

Farheen, told ANI, "Many people in Mewat are uneducated and illiterate. We recorded the bytes of DC, hospital administration and played it at our station and this is how we aware people. There was a fear among villagers that if they will take the vaccination, women won't be able to conceive or people will die. We gathered a group of people and made them hear our programs and gave an answer to people's questions. "

"We have formed a group named 'Mahila Hinsa'. All the women gather and hold meeting together. During the meeting, through radio, we got to know what this coronavirus is and its symptoms. All the women who come to attend the meeting listen to the radio. We were the first people who got vaccination. So, later we sensitised people and ask people to take the jabs as we have also taken the jabs," said Sushila, a resident of Gohana village and who benefitted from the programme.

( With inputs from ANI )