Visakhapatnam: Child care centres to take care of Covid-hit families

Visakhapatnam: As the number of coronavirus cases continues to rise, several families are struggling. In most cases, both the parents are getting infected with the virus.

In such a scenario, taking care of children turns out to be quite challenging.

With no relatives coming forward to extend support and some of them also end up getting infected with the virus, taking care of children is becoming difficult for many parents.

Keeping this in view, the department of women and child welfare has set up child care centres based on the directions of the state government. "Separate units have been facilitated for boys and girls. Parents who have been hospitalised or quarantined at home and not able to take care of their children can drop the kids to these facilities. The centre will take care of the children and act as guardians until the children are taken back by their parents after their complete recovery," explains B A Satya Narayana, district probation officer.

According to district child protection officer A Satya Narayana, siblings from the same family can stay in the same centre.

This apart, in case parents die of coronavirus, their children can be housed in the facility. "From food to accommodation and schooling will be taken care by the centre for the children who lost their parents," added the DCPO.

The officials urged people to make use of the facility. People can contact the toll-free numbers 181 or 1098.