IMAi, a helpline for COVID-19 patients

June 04, 2021 12:00 am | Updated 05:01 am IST - VELLORE

To help and guide COVID-19 patients in Vellore, Ranipet and Tirupattur districts, doctors from the Indian Medical Association (IMA), Vellore branch, Christian Medical College (CMC) and VIT alumni have come together to start a remote helpline called IMAi (eye lids).

The 24-hour helpline — 8939911411 with the tagline – We Care, We Are There — was started on May 19 and has attended over 2,000 calls till date. A total of 80 volunteers and 36 doctors from the IMA and the CMC are part of this initiative.

“We all work from home or hospitals. Every three hour the shift changes and in each shift there are three volunteers and two doctors,” said T. Madan Mohan, president, Vellore IMA.

He, along with S. Narmada, project coordinator and IMA Vellore vice-president, and T. Nailesh, secretary, IMA Vellore, conceived the project. “Our aim is to help and guide patients who have tested positive for COVID-19. Once they call the helpline, they will be guided by an IVRS until a volunteer attends the call and answers their queries. If the caller needs help regarding medicines, the doctor will take over and guide them,” said Dr. Madan.

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