Hyderabad: SIO connects 3000 Covid patients with healthcare facilities

Chatta Bazar: To help all the Covid patients across the State who are running pillar to post to find oxygen, beds, and other healthcare facilities Students Islamic Organisation of India (SIO) Telangana zone launched a helpline exclusively for Telangana. The 'Covid Relief Task Force' with over 1000 volunteers spread across the State, who are working round the clock to ensure that Covid patients get oxygen, bed, plasma, medicines, and other help they need it before it is too late.

The helpline 'Covid Relief Task Force' have been launched within a week of being set-up, the team has fielded around 5000 requests and had provided verified information about resource providers to around 3000 patients. "Moreover, online doctor telecommunication being provided for mild Covid patients, with 154 doctors team as per their time slots. A control room has been set up at SIO's headquarters in Chatta Bazar near Purani Haveli to coordinate the entire effort," said Dr Talha Faiyazuddin, President SIO Telangana.

The patients and their attendants convey their requirements through dedicated 24×7 helpline numbers and social media, while the volunteers map resources across the state and also verify the public information about the availability of healthcare facilities. The patients are then connected to the relevant resource providers.

SIO launched a helpline number 7303373374 to assist the people in providing leads of hospital beds availability and any medications, leads for getting oxygen cylinders and their refilling. SIO began the exercise last week with two 24×7 helpline numbers. Within days district-level volunteer teams were set up to help people across the length and breadth of the state. "So far we have received about 5000 calls and about 200 calls for doctor consultations which are directed to 154 registered young doctors. The work is expected to increase, and we invite more volunteers," said Dr Talha Faiyazuddin.

Over 40 per cent of the requests received by the task force on central helplines are for Oxygen, while around 30% are for hospital beds. More than 20% of callers sought plasma donations, while the remaining requests pertained to medicines such as Remdesivir and Tozilizumab."

"The second wave has badly hit India, and in this situation of dire need, we got an the overwhelming response from our student's youth, and SIO have received over 1000 registrations for volunteering, for fieldwork as well as desk support."

Dr Talha further said, "These are the times in which any help will be of great benefit to people and hope. And I'm proud that the young cadre of SIO Telangana is at the forefront in this task."