Lessons from 27 yrs as a newspaper journalist and 1 year of voluntary work
Pre-pandemic we had a babugiri system that worked because someone always knew someone who had a functioning number for an officer who could help.
But now the sheer number of “requests”, has changed that dynamic.
The minute a number is made public, people switch off or change numbers. Can’t blame them - they’re exhausted beyond measure.
It has to be a helpline manned in shifts by professionals.
Banks and appliance manufacturers use them. Infra-structure exists already.
All these call-centres with trained employees facing unemployment can be roped in.
We need just one person per shift at each hospital admission counter with a laptop, live updating bed availability, ventilators, oxygen, icu positions etc.
The call centres can connect callers to available doctors for tele-consults after checking basic needs like paediatrics or pulmonary - what type of doc is needed.
Escalate as necessary. Call centre employees know how escalation works. They’re trained to deal with angry, upset people.
Every state can connect intra and inter-connect all health facilities to a central system as well.
Maybe public-minded heads of call centres should come forward.
We need this in real time.
