By Ashraf Padanna/Thiruvananthapuram
Kerala which boasts of quality of life indicators comparable with the developed countries has launched a toll-free helpline to provide medical assistance by expert doctors free of cost round the clock.
The state’s health department, which screened 8.6mn people for lifestyle diseases with the assistance of the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), also identified some 400,000 people needing regular monitoring.
“We are the first state in India to put such a comprehensive system in place,”
Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said after launching the helpline and its website here yesterday.
The health department has appointed an expert panel of 74 doctors to provide health tips and treatment advice besides 21 specially trained counsellors. There will be eight doctors on duty a day for phone consultation.
Also, since school board exams being attended by more than a million students have begun, the department has appointed a panel of 10 psychologists to help those under stress.
The call centre can be accessed through the phone number 1056.
“The callers can also seek general information about first-aid, treatment for diseases, vaccination and preventive measures against communicative diseases. We would also increase the number of doctors on the panel of experts if needed,” said V S Sivakumar, the minister for health.
Trained counsellors have been employed to help students manage all stress-related problems during exams and to handle those with suicidal tendencies. If required, the calls would be transferred to psychiatrists in the capital city and Kochi or the counselling centres attached to them.
A well-equipped call centre is located at the city’s software hub of Technopark.
The mission is “to educate and empower society with relevant, authentic and validated health-related information to foster a better living and good health.”
The call centre provides “emotional support and counseling to individuals, communities and societies on physical and mental health issues for the promotion of healthy lifestyle as well as social physical and mental well being.”
The project is being managed with technical support from Orisys India Consultancy Services.
Meanwhile, some 900,000 students spread across 1,852 centres in Kerala,
Lakshadweep, Mahe and the Gulf countries are appearing for the Kerala Higher Secondary (HS) board examinations that began yesterday.
While 449,660 students are appearing for the Class 11 exams, 442,829 are taking the Class 12 exams - an increase of some 80,000 students compared to last year. They include 94,331 candidates from the Kerala State Open School.
According to the state’s department of education, 224,556 candidates for Class 11 are girls against 218,066 girls appearing for Class 12. The examinations will conclude on March 22 and the valuation camps will begin on March 29.
The results are expected to be declared by the second week of May.
