Bhubaneswar: Following the directives by the Centre, Odisha government on Monday directed all the district Collectors to identify Child Care Institutions (CCI) in their region to be used to house distressed children who are either orphaned by COVID or whose parents are lodged at COVID Care Centres.
Issuing a notification on Monday, the Department of Women & Child Development and Mission Shakti instructed all the district Collectors in the State to identify at least one CCI in their respective districts to take care of the distressed children in this period of Pandemic.
Aravind Agrawal, the Director of ICDS & Social Welfare stated, “I am directed to intimate that immediate measures be taken for the rehabilitation of the children orphaned due to COVID and children whose parents are affected with COVID and hospitalised and are unable to take care of than temporarily.”
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“One CCI in each district may be identified as fit facility to support children for the interim period. when their parents are isolated/ admitted due to COVID. All the hospitals and COVID care facilities in the districts may be informed regarding the arrangement and the contact details of the Child Welfare Committee members, designated CCI and Childline number (1098) may be prominently displayed at the reception of the hospital or COVID care facility centre. Reception of the Covid facility may guide the patients regarding this arrangement,” the letter read.
The department further directed to issue notices in local languages to guide public regarding the arrangement and to make a call to 1098 childline in case any child loses his/her parents to COVID and have no one to take their care. The helpleine number, 1098 will also be displayed at prominent places.