Tiruchi
The Trust Citizen Forum in the city has urged the State Health Secretary to establish helplines in all districts to provide information to the public about availability of beds in hospitals for COVID-19 affected persons.
While appreciating the efforts of the State government to check the spread of COVID-19 and setting up so many centres to treat the infected, M. Sekaran, Chairman of the Forum, however, suggested that setting up helplines would help patients reach the hospitals or care centres in time and avoid unnecessary panic. The facility should be established in the interest of the patients and their family members.
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While many patients are being admitted to government hospitals and COVID Care Centres, some of the infected prefer to go to private hospitals considering overcrowding at government facilities. But, such patients do not have any means of knowing the availability of beds at private hospitals authorised to treat COVID-19 patients. Some are made to run from pillar to post leading to loss of crucial time. They also suffer untold mental agony and panic. Helplines which can provide accurate information would be of much help for such patients and their families, Mr. Sekaran said.