A staff member (L) of the Women's Federation of Shiyan City in Central China's Hubei Province is on duty at the entrance of a residential community, helping register people as they go in and out. [China Women's News]

Women's federations at all levels in Central China's Hubei Province, the epicenter of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), have spared no efforts to help people solve their practical problems since the COVID-19 outbreak, giving full play to women's role in the fight against the unexpected epidemic.

Caring for Pregnant, Lying-in Women

On February 1, a local resident surnamed Xiong in Wuhan, capital city of Hubei Province, posted an article online to express his gratitude to the women's federation for helping take care of his baby born just a few days before when his wife was suspected of COVID-19 infection and quarantined in hospital. He was also quarantined for observation, and his father was confirmed with COVID-19 several days later. No one could look after the new baby.

Xiong wrote a letter online to ask for help. Li Shuyong, President of the Hubei Women's Federation, contacted the Wuhan Women's Federation and relevant government departments immediately after she read the letter. The baby was later taken good care of with the help of the women's federation.

Many people had similar experiences due to the COVID-19 epidemic, and many pregnant women and their families have turned to the province's women's federation for help.

The province's federation paid great attention to the difficulties of pregnant women caused by the epidemic, helping them receive normal maternity checkups in safety and confirming that they were receiving early treatment and diagnosis.

The federation also cooperates with relevant government departments to formulate policies for pregnant women.

The province's headquarters for pneumonia control issued a notice to arrange protection of pregnant and lying-in women amid the epidemic outbreak. After that, the women's federations at all levels in the province mobilized women volunteers to carry pregnant women between home and hospital for free, counsel them psychologically, and help them purchase daily necessities.

Offering Psychological Counseling Services

Since the onset of the outbreak, the province's women's federation has been keenly aware of the necessity of providing timely psychological assistance to medical workers who are under pressure and to ordinary people who feel anxious and fear about being in quarantine at home.

Professional psychological assistance services are available through hotlines and QQ, a popular instant messaging software in China. Dozens of experienced psychological counselors have offered 24-hour services to the families in need, including policy consultation, psychological counseling, emotional adjustment and crisis intervention.

The women's federation has also cooperated with Central China Normal University and the province's psychological association to help women and their families treat the epidemic correctly and turn for help to the federation's official website and WeChat account.

In addition, a mental health service platform was jointly launched by the province's health commission and women's federation on February 15. The platform classified the in-service psychological assistance hotlines across the province into three categories — for medical workers and patients, ordinary people and special groups. More than 1,000 psychological experts offer round-the-clock targeted services on the platform.

Increasing Preventive Efforts in Communities

The Women's Federation of Hubei Province issued a notice on January 31, calling for women's federations across the province to give full play to their role in the battle against the outbreak.

To respond to the call, staffs and members of the executive committees of the women's federations and women volunteers have been tasked with epidemic prevention and control work in communities. They have carried out strict screening in the communities and provided information on the epidemic situation, promoted epidemic prevention knowledge, registered and measured body temperatures of people moving in and out of the communities, and also purchased articles for daily use for families in need.

Calling on Individuals, Families to Join COVID-19 Control Efforts

Women's federations at all levels in Hubei have used a variety of methods to guide individuals and families to fully shoulder their social responsibilities in the fight against COVID-19.

Since January 23, the province's women's federation has issued several proposals for epidemic prevention and control, calling on women's federations and women across the province to work together and putting the joint efforts of individuals, families, villages and communities into combat against the COVID-19.

Publicizing COVID-19 Info, Preventive Measures Widely

The women's federations at all levels in the province have made full use of media platforms and social media to publicize scientific epidemic prevention methods.

In Wuhan, the hardest-hit area, workers of the communities' women's federations and women volunteers introduced epidemic prevention and control methods from door to door.

They also turned to many other methods, such as loudspeakers, posters, leaflets and QQ and WeChat groups, to publicize information and enhance residents' awareness of COVID-19 prevention and control.

(Source: China Women's News/Translated and edited by Women of China)