Not only local governments, but local public services are on the frontline combating COVID-19. Firefighters, police, public utilities and social service workers – the pandemic has affected everyone. How to ensure their safety and organize their work efficiently? These and other issues were discussed by the participants of the UCLG online webinar ‘Local Public Services: Keeping Frontline Workers Safe’ on May 13, 2020.
This webinar was organized by UCLG in cooperation with UN-Habitat and Public Services International. UCLG-Eurasia was represented by Deputy Mayor of Nur-Sultan (Kazakhstan) Malika Bekturova. She presented the report dedicated to the issue of ensuring safety of workers during the emergency and quarantine.
‘In Nur-Sultan, all city hospitals work in round-the-clock mode. There are observational sites for patients with symptoms of acute respiratory viral infections, where laboratory diagnostic tests are also carried out for coronavirus infection revealing. At the same time, each employee working in one way or another with high risk of virus infection, was provided with all means of personal protection, from equipment to separate accommodation in a hotel. Over 200 city buses daily are hired as shuttles for doctors. According to President’s order health workers have received bonuses’, Malika Bekturova highlighted in her speech.
She also noted that as part of the fight against the COVID-19 virus, as well as for the convenience of entrepreneurs and residents of the city, akimat promptly implemented digital services that made it possible to facilitate the work of state bodies and public services for residents.
The participants, and there were over 180 people, included Secretary General of UCLG-Eurasia Rasikh Sagitov, Head of the Department of International and Intermunicipal Relations of the Kazan Municipality Ruslan Galiakhmetov, Chief Specialist of the Department of International Cooperation and Protocol of the Bishkek Municipality Meerim Kydyralieva and others.
13.05.2020