Hand washing booths installed at shelter homes

Islamabad : The management of Shelter Homes-Panahgah has installed hand-washing booths at its capital-based facilities to keep the coronavirus at bay through promotion of hygiene habits among the dwellers.

With the help of a Strengthening Participatory Organization, we have installed at least three hand-washing booths at each ‘Panahgah’ of Islamabad including Bhara Kahu and others, Prime Minister’s Focal Person on Shelter Homes Naseem ur Rehman told the media here at Tarlai ‘Panahgahs’ during his routine inspection visit.

Tarlai ‘Panahgahs’ , which is among the eight shelter homes of twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, is located at the federal capital’s outskirts and provide night stay and food to around 150 homeless and needy every day.

In the prevailing situation, hand-washing booths at the ‘Panahgahs’ will work as a critical equipment in combating the deadly virus which has devoured several lives across the world, said the focal person, highlighting the initiatives taken by the management so far to ensure corona-free ‘Panahgahs’ in the twin cities.

He said the management took the Eid-ul-Fitr vacations as an ample opportunity to improve the basic services at the ‘Panahgahs’ as almost all the migrant workers moved to their cities to spend the religious festival with their families.

During the vacation, we boosted our efforts to transform the shelter homes into a place which promotes healthy lifestyle apart from providing food and shelter.

Naseem said multiple initiatives had been taken to make the shelter homes clean and green places under the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Disinfection of all the facilities had been made sure to prevent the pandemic outbreak at the places, he added.

The focal person said saplings of different plant species had been planted in vicinities of the shelter homes to enhance greenery at the facilities.

He said all the shelter homes in Rawalpindi and Islamabad had been provided medical supplies after the migrant daily wage earners had started returning to the two cities in search of employment.

Teams were deputed at shelter homes to hold face to face interaction with its dwellers and sensitize them about the precautions required for preventing the virus spread.

He said the service providers at shelter homes had been asked to strictly adhere to the corona precautionary measures so that behavioural changes could be brought among its dwellers.

“We are trying to evolve a new norm around the ‘Panahgahs’, especially among the risk population so they could protect themselves,” he remarked.