From December 2013 to June 2017, the Health Department’s 104 helpline has received a total of 9,18,688 calls from across the State. Of these, calls from Vellore district numbered 44,457.
In a bid to take the round-the-clock 104 helpline that provides information related to healthcare delivery to more people, an awareness initiative was held simultaneously in all 32 districts of Tamil Nadu on Monday.
In Vellore district, the awareness programmes were held at the Collectorate, Government Vellore Medical College Hospital (GVMCH) at Adukkamparai and Government Hospital at Tirupattur.
“The 104 health helpline has been providing holistic health information, advice and service improvement to the public. On an average, it receives 2,600 calls a day. We want to reach out more to the community. To make the facility more visible, we organised awareness programmes across all districts and taluks of the State,” said B. Prabhudoss, head of marketing and communication, GVK-EMRI, Chennai that operates the 108 ambulance and 104 helpline.
He added that the 104 health helpline was unique in providing suicide prevention counselling and advice to students, and also coordinates for arranging eye and whole body donation.
“From common cold to fevers such as dengue, details on symptoms, treatment and testing centres are provided. This helps in preventing self-medication. We have also been receiving and registering complaints at all levels,” he said.
Helping school students
This year, the emphasis was on intensifying the awareness campaign and reach out to the community. “We want to highlight on 104 helpline. We have been reaching out to school students too. On the day of board exam results, we received an unprecedented call flow of 13,000,” he added.
At the Vellore Collectorate, where the Monday public grievance redressal meeting was held, video featuring information on 104 helpline was screened on the LED mobile van of the Information and Public Relations office, Vellore, said R. J. Shriraman, district manager of GVK EMRI. Pamphlets were distributed to patients and their relatives at GVMCH and GH, Tirupattur.