Helpline draws flak due to poor service

HYDERABAD:  How long should one wait on a call to get through to the State Covid helpline number? A netizen on Wednesday took to Twitter to show the chinks in the system by recording a video of his 4-minute long wait to get through 104 for getting help for a Covid patient. 

The helpline which runs out of Koti and is managed completely by the Health Department, has been drawing flak because of the waiting time before one gets connected. The video of the incident has gone viral since then. Ramanjeet Singh, posted the video on Twitter stating, “Calling 104 since 5 am, no one receiving, no hospital in Cyberabad willing to admit a patient, what system are you running?”

The calls were made after an IT professional working with an MNC, who had high fever, became breathless. The call was made after several private hospitals refused to even check her. Even the 104 call did not get through. She was eventually admitted in a private hospital  by 7 am.

However, to show how flawed the system is, Ramanjeet continued dialling all helpline numbers of GHMC, ambulances alike, to receive mixed responses. Meanwhile, it is learnt that the 104 helpline don’t have multiple lines and is poorly staffed leading to the present issue. Though GVK EMRI which is a toll-free service provider of 108 and 100 had hand-held the department earlier, at present the Health Department manages it on 
its own.