Hyderabad: The COVID-19 situation in Hyderabad is improving, but more care needs to be taken, particularly in the months of August and September when the number of cases is expected to spike, as per the projections by various medical organizations, said Advisor to Government of Telangana Mr. AK Khan.
Speaking after flagging off MEANS – Medical Emergency and Ambulance Network Services (MEANS) – a part of 24×7 Covid Emergency Services jointly by Al Hamd Foundation and MESCO at MESCO Auditorium in Malakpet, Hyderabad, Mr. Khan urged people “to exercise utmost precaution, avoid going out, wear face masks and maintain social distancing, adding that situation in Telangana, particularly in Old City of Hyderabad, is improving.”
Recollecting anecdotes from ancient Islamic history he said “We need to learn from history. The concept of isolation was introduced by Islam where travellers from different regions were quarantined for 40 days, and later on progressed to Europe and gradually spread to the world.”
MEANS is an all-round door-step service system including a fleet of six ambulances and a mortuary vehicle, a pack of immunity boosting medicines for COVID-19 positive patients, an oxygen support hub to handle medical exigencies and doctor consultation over telephone.
Speaking after launching the program, he assured, “the government will extend its support to these activities.”
The ambulances transport patients needing hospitalisation from their doorstep to the hospitals and mortuary vehicles for transporting the deceased patients to the burial place. The foundation aims to provide basic and critical care services by professionally trained and experienced medical and paramedical staff to affected patients, oxygen support to the needy and prescribed medical protective gear.
Medical kits and guidance by renowned cardiologist Dr. Wasif Azam are also being provided. The program was organized by MESCO and Al Hamd Foundation with the idea of helping COVID-19 patients and their families during financial and psychological turmoil.
Cardiologist Dr. Wasif Azam, who is also helping corona patients with medical guidance through MESCO and Al Hamd Foundation, reiterated the WHO’s recent statement that “There is no silver bullet for treatment of COVID-19.”
He urged people to be cautious while availing medical services, and refrain from draining out their lifelong savings on inexpensive medicines and medical treatments. He said, “Many of these medicines are still under trial, some have proven effective some are still being studied and were given emergency approval by regulatory bodies.”
He said “People with mild and moderate infection can be treated at home with Oxygen inhalation, Steroids and Blood Thinning injections – all three are most effective, inexpensive and proven in helping people recover from Corona Virus infection. That too, even with homecare under telephonic or online medical supervision. MESCO and Al Hamd Foundation helps out with those.”
“Asymptomatic patients have no signs and recover quickly but may infect elders at home. Symptomatic patients have symptoms but can recover with moderate medication. People with diabetes, cardiac or liver problems, and whose oxygen saturation is less than 90 per cent require critical care, and need to be under constant medical supervision and need to be hospitalized,” he added.
He also mentioned, “The shortage of beds in the hospitals is due to the general panic among the people once they are diagnosed.” MESCO and Al Hamd Foundation aim to help these patients by providing home care services to them to prevent them from financially draining their savings, and depriving more critical patients of hospital beds. The Home Care services provided by these NGOs include telephonic consultation with doctors, doorstep delivery of COVID-19 treatment medicines and emergency ambulance services for critical cases.
Most of these facilities are free of cost.
According to the Chairman of the Al-Hamd Foundation Mohammed Abdul Azeem, “These services are the need of the hour to combat the COVID-19 Pandemic that has afflicted turmoil and financial devastation on the communities, forcing them into a state of psychological trauma.”
The Al Hamd Foundation’s initiative in collaboration with MESCO aims to resolve this problem by providing adequate medical aid, services and consultation to the affected families.
Earlier in the morning, Dr Wasif Azam inaugurated the 24×7 Emergency Medical Services at MESCO in Darus Shifa, Hyderabad.