ISLAMABAD: The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) has directed the Rural Support Programme Network (RSPN) to extend its support to the Islamabad Capital Territory administration in curbing the spread of the coronavirus.

The NCOC has also asked the administration to engage NRSP volunteers in relief activity in the city.

According to a statement issued by the Ministry of National Health Services (NHS), community mobilisation is imperative to raise awareness of the coronavirus among citizens, the NCOC noted.

During a meeting, Deputy Commissioner Hamza Shafqaat said volunteers would be informed of their assignments and trained before they begin community mobilisation campaigns in their respective union councils.

These assignments include implementing standard operating procedures in mosques and commercial areas, tracing suspected Covid-19 patients, awareness raising and identifying people eligible for assistance in the community.

The NCOC was told that there are around 25,000 households in five union councils in Islamabad’s rural areas, of which NRSP volunteers have access to some 19,000.

Capital administration officials also apprised the NCOC of the initiatives taken to limit the spread of the coronavirus in Islamabad, and members of the Corona Relief Tiger Force from Islamabad were trained to carry out relief activities in the city.

The meeting was attended by officials from the NHS ministry, the capital administration and RSPN.

The NCOC has already directed all Rural Support Programmes across the country to increase community mobilisation in order to effectively contain the coronavirus.

Published in Dawn, May 7th, 2020