Tribal challenge
The Health department of Jammu and Kashmir after containing the second wave of pandemic in the cities, towns and villages has now the challenge to stop its spread in the nomads and it could be the big challenge because they move from one place to another.
These Gujjars and Bakarwals can take the infection from their villages in Jammu to many other places in Kashmir such as Sonmarg, Kishtwar etc. Besides, we are also concerned about their health status as they walk in jungles and in case their condition deteriorates, they might not have access to the immediate medical facilities.
Now the covid care centers established at the panchayat levels can help the health department to take those tribal people to these centers if they are found covid positive after organizing covid test camps for them.
These tribal people remain in contact with a lot of people while migrating from one place to another and if proper testing is not done they can become the spreaders of covid-19 in many areas of Jammu and Kashmir.
The government of Jammu and Kashmir should intensify the testing camps for these tribal people in the hills and immediately shift any of them who tests positive to covid-19 to the covid care center in the nearby panchayat so that he is treated and is also isolated from the rest of the people.