This story is from April 29, 2021

Gujarat: Fallen coronavirus heroes get immortalized in govt buildings

They say fallen heroes represent the character of a nation with a long history of patriotism and honour. Indeed, this can be best ascribed to Gujarat’s frontline corona warriors, who, imbibed with the spirit of service, laid down their lives while helping the needy.
Gujarat: Fallen coronavirus heroes get immortalized in govt buildings
Bhavnagar district administration to re-name three government buildings in the names of the workers
RAJKOT: They say fallen heroes represent the character of a nation with a long history of patriotism and honour. Indeed, this can be best ascribed to Gujarat’s frontline corona warriors, who, imbibed with the spirit of service, laid down their lives while helping the needy.
And, what can be best an honour to them, but to immortalize the names of these unknown, unsung heroes, etched in concrete, quite literally?
In a unique tribute to rural health workers who sacrificed their lives fighting the pandemic, the Bhavnagar district administration on Tuesday decided to re-name three government buildings — two primary health centres (PHCs) and one government school — in the names of the workers in their native villages.

The decision was implemented on Wednesday by rechristening these buildings. District development officer (DDO) V J Baranwal said, “As a token of honour for our deceased workers and also to boost sagging morale of health workers, we have decided to honour our three corona warriors who gave up their lives battling the virus during the past one-and-a-half years.”
The administration changed Bhavnagar taluka’s Bhumbali primary health centre’s (PHC) name to Ritaben Gohel Prathmik Arogya Kendra. Gohel, 52, was a female health worker in this PHC and died serving patients here on April 20 this year. The second building to get a new name in Talaja taluka was of Trapaj PHC which was renamed as Kalpnaben Joshi Prathmik Arogya Kendra. Joshi, 58, was a health supervisor here who was to retire on April 30, but succumbed to the virus 10 days before she hung her boots.

Finally, the name of Mithivirdi primary school in Talaja taluka was changed to Ajay Dabhi Prathmik Shala to honour a lab technician at Sir T hospital Bhavnagar who was native of Mithivirdi and was working on contractual basis at the hospital.
The administration will put up boards soon with the new names of these public buildings.
Rural health workers are the first contact persons who identify Covid suspects and provide primary treatment. They are then referred to bigger hospitals if required. Community health centres and PHCs have 187 beds to treat Covid patients with mild and moderate symptoms.
Besides, the health workers are also responsible for regular visits to homes of isolated persons and pregnant women. Bhavnagar district has nearly 1,300 health workers and nearly 1500 Aasha workers on Covid duty at present.
“The taluka development officer and other senior officers including myself have now decided to also visit health workers and their family members as a gesture of appreciation for their immense contribution towards society,” Baranwal added.
District panchayats normally bear the cost of treatment of infected health workers and their family members including medicine but from now will now pay some cash also to workers with salaries below Rs 20,000 per month.
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About the Author
Nimesh Khakhariya

Nimesh Khakhariya is an assistant editor with Times Of India.

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