Help desks and the video and teleconsultation services launched by the State government on Thursday for the one million-odd Non-Resident Keralites (NoRKs) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Oman for COVID-19-related issues have received an overwhelming response.
The six help desks were initially started by NoRKA-Roots in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, Dubai, Sharjah, Fujairah, and Ras Al Khaimah, and later in the day at Oman. They are being managed locally by organisations and volunteers active among NoRKs. Inquiries have been pouring in from people stranded following the cancellation of flights to Kerala and those in apartment complexes, villas, and labour camps across the UAE. “The help desks are getting calls on COVID-19 testing, concerns about the disease, medicine and food availability, and expressing their desire to return to Kerala. The nature of the calls will be analysed and a system and protocol will be developed to handle them,” NoRKA-Roots Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Harikrishnan Namboothiri K. told The Hindu . K. Elangovan, Secretary, Non Resident Keralites Affairs (NoRKA), which looks after the welfare of expatriates, has written to the Ambassadors seeking their support.
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Online and telephone services have been made available for the NoRKs to raise concerns related to COVID-19 by registering on www.norkaroots.org.
The web page has two sections titled ‘Doctor Online’ and ‘Hello Doctor’. The 24-hour ‘Doctor Online’ has doctors specialised in General Medicine, General Surgery, Gynaecology, Paediatrics, and other branches for answering queries and giving guidance.