Doctors’ associations launch telemedicine service for Covid-19 patients
Covid-19 patients will get necessary medical advices from specialists round-the-clock through these hotlines
The Bangladesh Society of Medicine (BSM) has initiated a programme to facilitate telemedicine services during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The initiative is also backed by three other doctors' associations – Bangladesh Medical Association (BMA), Swadhinata Chikitsak Parishad (Swachip) and Bangladesh College of Physicians and Surgeons (BCPS).
The project aims to provide treatment for Covid-19 patients over phone through call centres in a bid to ensure that people can access medical advice from their homes during the pandemic.
Health Minister Zahid Maleque inaugurated the call centres for Covid-19 patients on Monday through a video conference.
Covid-19 patients can now call these hotlines which were activated on Wednesday for medical advice: 01313791130, 01313791138, 01313791139, and 01313791140.
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the Directorate General of Health Services set up the call centres under the supervision of the BSM, which is working in collaboration with the BMA, Swachip and BCPS.
AMZ Hospital in Badda, Dhaka is the hospital partner of this initiative.
Meanwhile, renowned pharmaceutical companies Servier, Beximco Pharmaceuticals Limited and Aristopharma Limited will be working in the project as scientific partners.
During the virtual inauguration, the health minister said that by facilitating treatment over phone, the doctors' associations set an example of fulfilling their duties towards people and the country.
The leaders of the associations said Covid-19 patients who were already hospitalised, or currently in isolation, or waiting for hospital admission, would get necessary medical advices from specialists round-the-clock through these hotlines.