Even after undergoing a major neural surgery and continuing pain, Annnapurna Choudhury (29), an anganwadi worker of Odisha’s Ganjam district, has showed exemplary courage to join duty to help in the fight against COVID-19 at her village.
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik praised her dedication towards duty at the time of COVID-19 crisis. According to Ms. Choudhury, Mr. Patnaik called her up around 11.50 a.m. on Wednesday. “I was extremely happy that the Chief Minister could take out time to interact with me regarding my health condition,” she said. The Chief Minister told her that he was aware of her dedication towards duty and she was doing a great job for the people.
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Earlier, through social media, the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) had termed her act of joining duty to build up awareness against COVID-19 five days after operation exemplary.
Ms. Choudhury, who has a three-year-old son, serves as an anganwadi worker at Balarampur village near the Andhra-Odisha border under the Patrapur block of Ganjam district. According to her, few months ago, she developed severe pain in the left hand that aggravated to its almost paralysation. She was diagnosed with abnormality at the junction of brain and spinal chord. On the advice of doctors, she underwent surgery at a private hospital in Bhubaneswar on March 6.
She was discharged from the hospital on March 11 and returned to her home in Ganjam district. Although she was advised to take rest, she preferred to join duty on March 12. “I could not take rest at home while the COVID-19 threat was on the prowl. Our village was at the inter-State border and I wanted to save all families, especially women and children of my village from this new viral infection.”
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Balarampur village has 187 households. As part of her duty, she is visiting all families every day to enquire about their health condition and to enhance awareness about preventive measures suggested by the government to fight COVID-19. She also visits the Balarampur inter-State check-gate to take stock of the situation.
Food distribution
Reporting of COVID-19 cases in Srikakulam district of adjoining Andhra Pradesh has increased the importance of her work. As an anganwadi worker, she is also involved in distribution of food materials to pregnant women and children.
She still suffers post-operative pain in the neck. Her child longs for her presence at home. “Sometimes my family members coax me to stay back. But when I think of my duty to protect the 187 families of my Balarampur from COVID-19 infection, I forget everything and go out to serve them,” said Ms. Choudhury.