Thailand: massive Covid-19 screening operation in Bangkok slums

A volunteer from the Bangkok Community Help foundation performs an antigen test on a resident of Khlong Toei, September 6, 2021. AFP - LILLIAN SUWANRUMPHA

Text by: RFI Follow

1 min

A vast Covid-19 screening operation took place in the slums of the capital, Bangkok, in order to intensify the fight against the third wave of the coronavirus which still paralyzes the country and promotes political instability.

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With our correspondent in Bangkok, 

Carol Isoux

Lines of plastic chairs well spaced from each other… The men, women and children of Khlong Toei, one of Bangkok's largest slums, came by the thousands this week to be tested in one of the halls sheds. surrounding areas.

Faced with the cruel absence of tests provided by the government, it is a private foundation which is at the origin of this operation.

The idea was above all to be able to free, thanks to negative tests, populations sealed off inside slums.

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The director of the Bangkok Help Community foundation encourages residents to come and get tested.

"

We offer free tests, which until now was not possible, everyone can come and in addition we offer a bag of one kilo of rice to all those who come," he

recalls.

 If we find a positive case, we guarantee him a place in the hospital, because in the slums, it is difficult to isolate himself, it is necessary to take advantage of it. 

"

This weekend, our fantastic team of volunteers tested 966 residents of Lock 456 in the Khlong Toei slums.

Testing is difficult to come by for these communities, and the 46 cases we found would likely have gone undetected without our tests.

All 46 people will receive treatment. ♥ ️ pic.twitter.com/7cSzfoj7aZ

- Bangkok Community Help Foundation 🇹🇭 (@BKK_community) September 7, 2021

With less than a hundred positive tests detected on the hundred thousand residents of the slum, the inhabitants of Bangkok hope for soon the easing of health restrictions, in priority the curfew, and the reopening of schools. 

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• Thailand

• Coronavirus

• Health and medicine