New Delhi: AIIMS sets up 24x7 COVID-19 helpline number

Acting on directions from Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi has set up a 24X7 COVID-19 helpline number, through which callers can take OPD appointments and also talk to volunteers while doctors can talk to consultants.

This has been done so that minor hospitals and clinics in Delhi can take information related to COVID-19 management from senior medical experts at AIIMS through telephonic guidance. For this purpose, Shah has directed to form a committee of senior doctors from AIIMS so that the best practices in the fight against coronavirus are communicated to the lowest level.

"Following @HMOIndia directions, AIIMS Delhi has set up a 24x7 COVID-19 helpline no(Eng/Hindi). CoNTeC-AIIMS 9115444155; callers can take OPD appointments, talk to volunteers while doctors can talk to Consultants," stated a tweet of spokesperson, Ministry of Home Affairs.

Following @HMOIndia directions, AIIMS Delhi has set up a 24x7 covid19 helpline no(Eng/Hindi). CoNTeC-AIIMS 9115444155; callers can take OPD appointments, talk to volunteers while doctors can talk to Consultants

— Spokesperson, Ministry of Home Affairs (@PIBHomeAffairs) June 14, 2020

On the instructions given by Shah, the Union Ministry of Health has also has set up three teams of four doctors each from AIIMS Delhi, Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) health ministry and Delhi government by MCD officials teams to inspect major dedicated COVID-19 facilities proposed in Delhi to make recommendations for improvement.

Witnessing the seriousness of the situation, Union Home Minister Amit Shah held a high-level meeting with Union Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and other senior officials of the government.

To help the Delhi government to cope with the crisis, Shah has immediately ordered to provide 500 converted rail coaches to the Delhi government. This will add 8000 beds for COVID19 patients.

The Home Minister said that in view of the scarcity of beds for Corona patients in Delhi hospitals, the central government has decided to immediately provide 500 converted rail coaches to the Delhi Government. With this, 8,000 more beds will be available in Delhi and these will be equipped with all facilities in the treatment of COVID-19 patients.

The minister also said that house-to-house health surveys will be conducted in containment zones in the capital to improve contact mapping, and the survey report will be available within a week.

For effective monitoring, all residents will be asked to download the Aarogya Setu app on their mobile phones. The Home Minister said COVID-19 testing will be doubled within the next two days and trebled after six days in order to check the coronavirus spread in Delhi.

Besides, in containment zones, the testing facility will be made available in each Polling Station. In the last 24 hours, Delhi has reported a spike of 2224 new cases and 56 unfortunate. While the total number of covid19 cases in the city rose to 41,182 and the virus has claimed 1327 lives.