SRIKAKULAM: As the community spread of Covid-19 has started in Srikakulam and it is more severe in Palasa and Mandasa mandals of Uddanam region, private doctors have joined hands with the district administration to combat the pandemic. Voluntary lockdown is also in force in Palasa. As the number of Covid-19 cases has crossed 60 in Palasa alone due to the community spread, private doctors have come forward to provide telecounselling. People can avail of counselling services by speaking to the doctors on coronavirus.
The aim of tele-counselling is to allay fears and clear doubts of the public pertaining to the spread of virus and also to identify the suspected Covid- 19 patients. About 20 private doctors, who have hospitals and clinics in the twin towns Palasa and Kasibugga, came forward to offer tele-counselling to the public. As panic situation prevailed in Palasa and surrounding areas with the surge in Covid-19 cases, the IMA of Palasa has decided to provide tele-counselling to allay fears of the people, said Dr Jeeviteswara Rao of Hari Krishna Hospital in Kasibugga. He also said by clearing the doubts of the people, the infected people can be protected from social stigma. Similarly, counselling will boost confidence of the people.
With the counselling services, people can go for voluntary testing confidently, he added. Dr Vijay Kumar of Gopala Krishna Hospital in Kasibugga said people need proper guidance in the current pandemic situation. People can get all their doubts cleared over phone by consulting the local doctors, he added. Since this is the time of seasonal diseases, people may fear even for general infections. Dr S Appala Raju, MLA, said a separate swab collection centre was set up at Palasa for the cases referred by the private doctors. As the number of new cases in Palasa reduced in the last two days, people need not panic, the MLA added.