PESHAWAR:
The coronavirus pandemic alone has disrupted every aspect of life – including the way healthcare is delivered.
While frontline health workers are lauded, little is said about those who silently performed their duties as the unknown warriors. Dr. Aruz is one such warrior in the fight against the COVID-19 health crisis. He took on the role of first responder on a different front.
On the dedicated COVID-19 helpline, Dr Aruj fielded thousands of phone calls. Conducting the first round of screening over the phone to save the overburdened healthcare system from being overwhelmed.
“The number of calls dropped sharply and we were happy, but the phones are ringing again,” claimed Dr Aruj, the first responder on the 1166 helpline.
According to the first responder, the COVID-19 helpline has not only filtered the number of cases but also provided dedicated emotional and medical support to callers who were already suffering.
Another first responder, Seeba, who works as a nurse at Jinnah Hospital in Karachi, has worked tirelessly – just as Dr. Aruz did. While serving at the largest government-owned facility, the 35-year-old frontline nurse tested positive for the respiratory disease.
From being the first responder in a high-risk COVID-19 ward to receiving care and attention on dedicated helplines, the healthcare worker has experienced it all.
“Having a trained doctor on the other side was reassuring. Each call lasted for more than 15 minutes and he guided me through the entire duration of my illness,” claimed Seeba.
According to Ciba, he received guidance on home isolation and even proper nutrition during his battle against the respiratory disease.
“It wasn’t just about guiding me. The helpline also gave me advice on how to protect the people around me,” said Seeba.
During the call, Ciba was also told when to call the rescue service and when he might need to be taken to the hospital. “I knew every step of the way,” she said.
Ciba’s story is one of many that will probably never be told. Lakhs of people have called the COVID-19 helpline and lakhs have been given help over the phone.
Dr. Aruz recalls that she had never seen anything like the COVID-19 health crisis. “There was panic and fear. “Uncertainty has captured the hearts and minds of millions,” he claimed.
During the months of May and June, when the virus was at its peak, the first responder claimed to have received several calls. “Then the phone never stopped ringing.”
“Once an agent receives a phone call, it follows a number of standard steps and then provides customized advice to the caller,” he explained.
“We listen very carefully – without interruption or distraction,” said the doctor. “They are anxious to know when to end isolation and when to get tested again.”
While calls have come down significantly, Dr Aruj and many others on the 1166 helpline fear that the onset of the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic will push them back into the same role.
