Childline is the latest victim of H1N1 flu
Times of India: Childline, the 24 hour helpline for children in distress, is the latest victim of the H1N1 flu.
Run by an NGO, Dnyana Devi association with the Karve Institute of Social Science, the helpline receives around 20,000 calls per month from children calling for emotional support and sharing their problems, at times even complaining of sexual abuse. The helpline will now function from 9 am to 7 pm till Monday.
Anuradha Sahasrabuddhe, the director of Childline, said that while four of the staff members were down with fever, some of the others had no hostel accommodation and had to return to their native place. “All the four who have fallen ill are our male volunteers and employees and so there is no one to actually stay back for the night duty. A couple of our workers who live in hostels had no option but to go back to their native places since they had no alternative accommodation,” says Sahasrabuddhe.
Sahasrabuddhe further said that some of the women workers travel from far away places like Hadapsar and Tingrenagar on public transport, which increases risk of H1N1 infection. “We have four employees right now apart from myself. The operating hours of 9 am to 7 pm will be till Monday after which we will take stock of the situation and take a decision,” said Sahsrabuddhe, adding, “we are available for children in case there is some serious problem.”
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