Difficulty in the Cham Puong epidemic: Must propagate in the Khmu language

As soon as positive cases are detected,Covid-19 epidemicin Cham Puong village, Luong Minh commune. In addition to urgently implementing epidemic prevention and control measures such as setting up a blockade of Cham Puong village according to Directive No. 16/CT-TTg, rapid testing, and tracing F1 and F2, Tuong Duong district also focuses on propaganda work in the local language so that people can absorb the policy faster.

Khmu people are not used to wearing masks, but now they do it seriously even though they are indoors. Photo: Dinh Tuan

Cham Puong village is quiet during the days of social distancing. Photo: Dinh Tuan

Cham Puong village, Luong Minh commune (Tuong Duong) is a purely Khmu ethnic village. The whole village has 195 households with 970 people. The village is about 15 km from the center of Luong Minh commune. Most of the people do not know how to speak the common language. To effectively propagate measures to prevent and control the Covid-19 epidemic as well as to announce policies from superiors, Tuong Duong district has deployed propaganda in the Khmu ethnic language so that people can easily understand and receive information faster and more accurately.

Cham Puong village implements social distancing according to Directive No. 16/CT-TTg of the Prime Minister. Photo: Dinh Tuan

The entrance to the house has been barricaded with iron mesh. Photo: Dinh Tuan

In recent days, in parallel with "going to every alley, knocking on every door, checking every subject", the remote district of Tuong Duong has used specialized vehicles of the Center for Culture, Sports and Communication to propagate, mobilize as well as inform people in the Khmu ethnic language.

Accordingly, the district has divided into many teams with full forces such as police officers, medical staff and village officials (who are fluent in the Khmu language) to go to each house to propagate and mobilize the people.

Cars are equipped with loudspeakers, broadcasting pre-recorded propaganda content, and traveling on main roads. Thanks to this method, people can grasp information more promptly. Since then, people have strictly implemented epidemic prevention and control measures.

After being informed, people have understood the dangers of the Covid-19 epidemic and how to properly implement Directive 16/CT-TTg. Photo: Dinh Tuan

Mrs. Lu Thi Xi - residing in Cham Puong village said, "When I was young, I mainly lived on the fields. When I was older, I spent all day in the village, and had little contact with the outside world, so my ability to speak Vietnamese was quite limited. I did not know the alphabet, so it was difficult for me to receive information. These days, officials and cars go around propagating in the Khmu language, so it is easy for me to understand. Now I have recognized the danger of the Covid-19 epidemic, know how to prevent and fight the epidemic and Directive No. 16 of the Government. I have reminded my children and grandchildren in the house to be proactive in preventing and fighting the epidemic, wear masks, keep distance, make full medical declarations, avoid gathering in crowds and wash their hands regularly according to regulations."

Normally, this woman goes to the fields to collect firewood and bamboo shoots. During the complicated pandemic, she stays at home. In her free time, she takes advantage of the opportunity to weave and catch fish, instead of following the habit of gathering in a certain house to sit and talk like before the pandemic. Photo: Dinh Tuan

Set up a blockade at Cham Puong village. Photo: Dinh Tuan

“In order for the propaganda work to be most effective, from the beginning we determined that it was necessary to propagate in the Khmu language so that people could understand and receive more accurate information. Through propaganda in their own language, people have grasped the situation and have seriously implemented epidemic prevention and control measures,” said Mr. Lo Thanh Nhat - Vice Chairman of the District People's Committee, Deputy Head of the Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control of Tuong Duong District.

The mobile propaganda vehicle on Covid-19 prevention and control of the Tuong Duong District Culture and Sports Center goes to every house and village to propagate. Photo: Dinh Tuan