Akito
NISHTHA 4th batch trainee, Dimapur
It would only be wise to acknowledge the pandemic situation currently taking seize of the world right now, some may call it panic scare or dumb or overly exaggerated however the pressing word embraced by everyone currently is deep concern. Multiple governments around the world are doing their best and creating steps to minimize the risk of infection, be it the temporary shutdown of educational institutions or companies putting a hold on air travels or closure of various public places or cancellation of important meets and gatherings.
What we indeed have a clear understanding of the virus is the nature of its ability to spread rampantly, the fact that somebody carrying it may not necessarily show the symptoms and yet! Infect others is a deep concern and some showing symptoms and causing the obvious infection, the fact that a single person could infect over hundreds should be alarming, although the fatality rate may not match to the graph of the many being infected, a single life also matters and what certainly ought to not be discarded is to take it lightly in a non- serious way.
So, what does this have to do with the ongoing Teachers Training (NISHTHA) by being held in Dimapur for 5 days, with over 500 (approximately) participants? (It may be noted that two days into the programme has already been conducted) The answer would clearly lay in the above given description of what COVID-19 is doing to the world at present and as stated earlier, it has also collectively created a deep concern in all the participants since the programme hasn't been called off. My concern is that these 500 (approximately) odd teachers coming from different locations of Dimapur district are well exposed and could cause grave danger, the training spans over 7 hours a day and while pressing time concerns and necessity of conducting the training is existent. I hope for the authorities to perhaps make an analysis of the situation at hand and come up with favourable solutions, that if the Government of Nagaland wants to continue the training for the next 3 days then to kindly make provisions for every amenities to secure a very safe environment, be it well sanitized rooms for conducting the training or provisions of soaps and sanitizer or of proper detection of participants showing symptoms like, precaution by its very nature calls for action to be taken in advance to prevent future problems, in the light of the matters at hand, I sincerely hope that appropriate and timely actions may be exercised considering the mass participation of teachers.
Should there be any case of infection and complications thereof because of this, should the Government be held responsible??
And let's remember prevention is better than cure.