Women marshals bring caring touch to Covid Care Centres

BENGALURU: 25-year-old Bhavani KG rides up from a village 5 km from Hoskote every morning to reach Mahadevapura CCC before 6am. She is one of the 12 women on the first ‘lady marshal’ batch, deputed in Bengaluru. A BA graduate and NCC Ccertificate holder, Bhavani quit her job in a software firm after she was selected as a frontline warrior.

“I joined a week ago. I applied as I wanted to help and we were taught during training that ‘service is our motto’. At the CCC, my job is to take details of patients, check their symptoms, comfort them, escalate the case based on patient’s condition to the doctor and nurse,” she proudly told TNIE. BBMP and the health department have been recruiting women marshals on trial basis and have stationed them at select maternity homes, CCCs, triaging and stabilisation centres.

“Earlier, we were reluctant because of odd working hours and lack of women-friendly facilities,” said a government official. Jothika Purushotam stands aggressive and bold at Shanthinagar Maternity Home. None entering the centre is left unattended. There are 200 ward marshals and 66 new recruits under BBMP. BBMP Chief Commissioner Gaurav Gupta said that women as marshals are welcome, but so far, they have not been confirmed.