HYDERABAD : Buoyed by its success in treating over 10,000 Covid-19 patients through virtual mode in the last few months, Hyderabad-based NGO, Helping Hand Foundation, has launched a telemedicine helpline and door-to-door delivery of medicines for people affected with the recent floods in the city, who are at risk of water-borne diseases.
With several areas in the city marooned and with stagnated water still inundating many areas and houses, out of the total complaints registered in the survey - 70 percent are fungal infections with itching, 10 percent fever and body pains, 20 percent diarrhoea, from the door to door survey being done by the NGO.
In many areas the water has receded but the muck and slush has made difficult for people to come out and access medical & health care services.
Moreover, people are in a state of shock and distress as everything around them is badly damaged and destroyed. Priority for such is to first get the house in order. People are requesting for door delivery of health services in many areas as per the study done by the NGO.
In order to reach out to such affected people whose access to health care services is severely constricted- HHF, is carrying out door to door survey in several affected areas. The healthcare workers are carrying a fever kits, fever surveillance forms & medicines and will reach every house to check for sick children and adults in the water ravaged areas of the city. After assessing the situation an online consultation with the doctor will be done and on the spot.
After the clinical assessment is done, medicines will be given at the door step. On the two days of the launch of services over 150 houses & one Relief camp under Falaknuma Division in Hashamabad, Farooq Nagar and Fatima Nagar were covered and medicines delivered. Any patient with Covid-like symptoms will be monitored and testing and medication will be recommended to such.
The NGO has also taken up creating awareness in these areas, doctors and paramedical staff is going door to door, while another team is helping in clearing up the muck and spraying bleaching powder to disinfect.
“Online telemedicine is the new way to move from the brick and motor medical camp model and has the potential to reach out to many distressed and sick people quickly in difficult times like this where people have lost most of their belongings and are left with very little money for medicines and consultation, said Mujtaba Hasan Askari of the foundation.
HHF will also place 12 ambulances each in the flood affected areas like Babanagar, Amanagar, Ganganagar, Talabkata, Jubail Colony, Hashamabad, Fatima Nagar, Farooq Nagar all the Urban slums worst affected by the recent rains.