Article Author: Building trust, breaking myths: How sehat aapas helped health officials win over Nizammudin basti
Media Source: The Economic Times (India)
Date: 17 May 2020
Just over a month ago, when the Nizammudin basti emerged as a Covid-19 hotspot, Delhi government health officials and the World Health Organisation roped in a trusted group of 40 health workers, all female residents of the basti, fondly called Sehat aapas, who work with the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC), to get them to agree to declare their health conditions and travel histories. These women went to each of the 1,700 families in the basti, and also facilitated 150 COVID-19 tests in the last few days, for those with severe symptoms. Jyotsna Lall, Director of Programmes at AKTC in India, said that the women were selected because of the "rapport they shared with the community" and had a willingness to learn.
