By Purushottam Nayak

Sambalpur: St John’s National Academy of Health Sciences, a prestigious Church institution in Bengaluru, has begun guiding a diocese in Odisha in Covid protocol behavior.

“My diocese is grateful to St. John’s Medical College helping us to deal with the present crisis due to the coronavirus pandemic,” Bishop Niranjan Sualsingh of Sambalpur told Matters India May 25.

As part of the project, the academy on May 24 organized a two-hour webinar for priests, nuns, Brothers, and lay people on how to follow daily pandemic protocol behaviors.

Around 45 people attended the first virtual conference on professional medical guidance on Covid-19 conducted by Doctor Bobby Joseph, head of the Department of Community Health at St. John’s Medical College, Bengaluru.

Doctor Joseph explained how the virus spread and suggested ways to identify its symptoms. He also dealt with steps needed for maintaining mental health among the affected and their families and how to care and protect children from the virus. He also stressed precautionary measures to avoid infection and home isolation for the infected, the urgency of treatment and post vaccination care.

Doctor Joseph said he would guide the Church people in Sambalpur through WhatsApp, telephone and email. “Those with symptoms of Covid virus can seek my advice,” he added.

Bishop Sualsingh said he found the webinar “extremely useful” as Doctor Joseph’s input as well the participants’ interactions were of high quality. “We are fortunate that St. John’s Medical College is willing to give us medical advice in case of urgent medical needs arising due to Covid infections through social media. We pray that everyone remains safe from the pandemic infections,” the prelate added.

Sister Anjana Cherattil, a participant, the webinar helped clarify her doubts regarding the Covid vaccines and the side effect of Remdesivir injection. The member of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Chambery expressed her gratitude for Bishop Sualsingh and Father Anil Kujur, president of the Sambalpur unit of Conference of Diocesan Priests of India for organizing the “very helpful” webinar.

Bethany Sister Manjula Deepa Kiro from Bolangir said the program helped clear rumors that the vaccine caused deaths. She said the “effective and educative” webinar explained that the vaccines helped improve the immunity system to fight the coronavirus.

“With confidence I can now make people understand the life saving power of Covid-19 vaccination,” she told Matters India.

The diocese of Sambalpur has so far lost four priests, two Goo Samaritan nuns and around 10 faithful to Covid-19, the bishop said.

They are among some 400 priests and nuns who have succumbed to the virus in the second wave in India.