India Covid crisis: UAE healthcare group to offer free tele-consultation

(MENAFN - Khaleej Times) Over 100 Aster DM Healthcare doctors from the Gulf region will provide free tele-consultation services to Covid-19 patients and caregivers in India. Support would be offered through Aster Volunteers, the CSR arm programme of the healthcare group. With misinformation about the virus on the rise, caregivers and patients can connect with a medical professional through the helpline. Direct video consultation services will be provided, where doctors will respond to queries as well as create awareness. The services is available from Sunday to Thursday between 1.30pm and 5.30pm (IST). Dr Azad Moopen, Founder Chairman and Managing Director, Aster DM Healthcare, said: ''During these turbulent times with the raging pandemic, it is important to provide simple but authentic guidance to patients and public. While our healthcare workers are working perpetually, there is a risk of the system breaking down if too many people visit healthcare providers directly. ''We can avoid this by bringing proper advise to them at their home through tele-consultation. As most patients recover at home with simple measures, this must be the first step. Through the Aster e-Consult app we hope to make this facility available to the worried population at home and avoid people rushing to hospitals. Alisha Moopen, Deputy Managing Director of the healthcare group, added: ''The surge in cases has caused anxiety, fear and panic among people … We are frequently seeing cases where patients self-medicate or follow unguided advice from the Internet to treat general ailments and land up with unintended consequences.” MENAFN18052021000049011007ID1102097287