The pandemic has laid bare India’s poor health care system and its governance, where young citizens have become foot soldiers in assisting the needs of Covid patients and their families. Desperate to save their family members in times like this, many have fallen prey to scammers and profiteers who indulge in fraudulent acts by providing false information or charge a hefty amount for 1 gas cylinder. India is not only facing a medical crisis but a moral crisis too. However, it is groups like Students Islamic Organisation (SIO) in Telangana and others profiled by TwoCircles.net here, that have emerged as relief providers to the struggling masses.
Shalini S | TwoCircles.net
Amid surging cases of Covid-19 in India, patients and family members are seen desperately searching for oxygen cylinders, beds, plasma donors, and medicines like Remdesivir which is difficult to procure. In such a dire health crisis all across the country, the Students Islamic Organisation (SIO) in Telangana, a Southern Indian state, has established an SOS helpline that runs 24/7 for assisting and providing leads to people who are in immediate need of medical facilities.
The helpline has been running since April 30.
SIO Telangana has set up a control room in SIO’s headquarters in Chatta Bazar, Hyderabad, to coordinate the “Covid Relief Task Force” effectively.
“In the very first week of establishing a Covid Relief Task Force, SIO received over 5000 requests. We were able to provide verified information about the availability of resources to 3000 patients,” says Faraz, a member of SIO Telangana.
Faraz explains that SIO had put out a pamphlet calling for volunteers across the state to engage in their Covid Relief Task Force, and as per him “an overwhelming number of 1000 volunteers have registered to extend help.”
Out of the registered numbers, 154 volunteers are practicing doctors or final year MD (Doctor of Medicine) students, he said.
The doctors and final year students provide medical advice to the patients in the time slots allotted to them.
“We connect asymptomatic or patients with mild symptoms to the doctors we have onboard for instant medical advice and care,” Faraz said.
“As a medical student, I aim to serve people who are in need, particularly during an unprecedented crisis like this. It is important to support and take care of each other. I registered to volunteer by seeing a friend’s WhatsApp status,” said Lakshmi Durga, a junior doctor from Hyderabad.
Lakshman, a middle-aged man from Hyderabad, who took medical advice from one of the doctors on board in SIO Telangana told TwoCircles.net, “I had visible symptoms and was scared. The consultation was very good. The doctor asked me how the symptoms started and all. I took Fabiflu for 9 days but the cough remained bad so the doctor advised me to take an injection to gain immunity. I called again to check if I can go for a retest, hopefully, it turns out negative.”
The Covid Relief Task Force has field volunteers and desk volunteers from all districts of Telangana. The field volunteers work on the ground and gather verified information about the medical resources available pertinent to Covid patients in their districts and update it on a Google sheet. The Google sheet is accessible to all SIO volunteers and is updated every 6 hours. With the verified information available on the Google sheets, desk volunteers provide leads to the patients who call the helpline. The volunteers registered are from diverse religious groups. They work around the clock by taking shifts. SIO in the respective districts of Telangana is well connected for the smooth transition of work.
“Over 40% of the requests we receive are for oxygen cylinders, 30% requests for hospital beds and over 20% seek for plasma donors, and other requests we receive are for medicines like Remdesivir and Tocilizumab,” said Faraz.
The pandemic has laid bare India’s poor health care system and its governance, where young citizens have become foot soldiers in assisting the needs of Covid patients and their families. Desperate to save their family members in times like this, many have fallen prey to scammers and profiteers who indulge in fraudulent acts by providing false information or charge a hefty amount for 1 gas cylinder. India is not only facing a medical crisis but a moral crisis too.
The work done by SIO Telangana in assisting Covid patients and their family members is commended by the beneficiaries.
The daughter of a 48-year-old Covid patient from a rural area who was in desperate need of an oxygen bed for her mother said, “We got a bed in Government General Hospital in Mahbubnagar (a city in Mahbubnagar district of Telangana) with the help of SIO. My mother got discharged a few days ago. She is in good health now. All praise to the people who have helped us in difficult times.”
Dr. Talha Faiyazuddin, SIO Telangana State President, said, “These are the times in which any help will be of great benefit to people. It will give people hope. Coming forward by realizing their responsibility and honoring the dignity of mankind with empathy is the true reflection of humanity. I am proud that the young cadres of Telangana are at the forefront in this holy task.”
Faraz said that the field and desk volunteers are now working remotely to gather resource information after the lockdown was imposed in the state, “We will keep doing the work until this all ends. Allah has given us this opportunity to help his creation” he adds.
Post Script:
SIO Telangana’s helpline is at 7303373374.