<p>People manning the call centres set up by the civic body at different zones as part of the Covid helpdesk are feeling disconsolate to receive abuses from callers.</p>.<p>Staffers at the call centres, trusted with the job of coordinating with the Covid patients, are particularly wary of those who have been advised home isolation as they turn abusive towards them when they call to inquire about their condition.</p>.<p>Hundreds of people manning the phone lines are either brought in from various government departments or hired on contract. Their main job is to get updates on the home-isolated patients’ health and monitor their activities. But patients turn their heat on the callers, having no one to share their frustrations with.</p>.<p><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tag/coronavirus" target="_blank"><strong>CORONAVIRUS SPECIAL COVERAGE ONLY ON DH</strong></a></p>.<p>“It is frustrating to hear abuses,” a teacher drafted into the call centre to connect with the patients said. “After all, we are calling to get health updates from them (patients).”</p>.<p>Another staffer said the patient they called began yelling at them. “It is a kind of harassment,” the staffer said.</p>.<p>“The person who I called was speaking politely in the beginning,” another caller said. “But when I asked his address, he felt offended and started to shout.” A staffer at the Rajarajeshwari Nagar zone added: “I don’t understand why people behave this way. Why don’t they understand that we are just doing our duty?”</p>.<p>The call centres operate within zones and those hired are trained to handle the calls. Among the question they ask are general information like the address, number of people in the family, age, marital status, symptoms and body temperature.</p>.<p class="CrossHead"><strong>Patients: BBMP calls are annoying </strong></p>.<p>Patients, on the other hand, are frustrated to get repeated calls from the BBMP. “It is annoying to get such calls repeatedly,” said a covid-19 patient.</p>.<p>“Doctors advise us rest, but these calls from the BBMP are disturbing,” said a 37-year-old techie who tested positive and is home-isolated. “Taking one call a day may be acceptable, but imagine if I have to answer six calls?”</p>.<p>Some who tested positive say they are receiving calls from BBMP almost after a week. “Why should they call when we have almost recovered?” asks Prabhakaran K. “I got a call exactly seven days after testing positive.”</p>.<p>Staffers at the call centres said they need mental support to keep their cool during difficult calls.</p>
<p>People manning the call centres set up by the civic body at different zones as part of the Covid helpdesk are feeling disconsolate to receive abuses from callers.</p>.<p>Staffers at the call centres, trusted with the job of coordinating with the Covid patients, are particularly wary of those who have been advised home isolation as they turn abusive towards them when they call to inquire about their condition.</p>.<p>Hundreds of people manning the phone lines are either brought in from various government departments or hired on contract. Their main job is to get updates on the home-isolated patients’ health and monitor their activities. But patients turn their heat on the callers, having no one to share their frustrations with.</p>.<p><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tag/coronavirus" target="_blank"><strong>CORONAVIRUS SPECIAL COVERAGE ONLY ON DH</strong></a></p>.<p>“It is frustrating to hear abuses,” a teacher drafted into the call centre to connect with the patients said. “After all, we are calling to get health updates from them (patients).”</p>.<p>Another staffer said the patient they called began yelling at them. “It is a kind of harassment,” the staffer said.</p>.<p>“The person who I called was speaking politely in the beginning,” another caller said. “But when I asked his address, he felt offended and started to shout.” A staffer at the Rajarajeshwari Nagar zone added: “I don’t understand why people behave this way. Why don’t they understand that we are just doing our duty?”</p>.<p>The call centres operate within zones and those hired are trained to handle the calls. Among the question they ask are general information like the address, number of people in the family, age, marital status, symptoms and body temperature.</p>.<p class="CrossHead"><strong>Patients: BBMP calls are annoying </strong></p>.<p>Patients, on the other hand, are frustrated to get repeated calls from the BBMP. “It is annoying to get such calls repeatedly,” said a covid-19 patient.</p>.<p>“Doctors advise us rest, but these calls from the BBMP are disturbing,” said a 37-year-old techie who tested positive and is home-isolated. “Taking one call a day may be acceptable, but imagine if I have to answer six calls?”</p>.<p>Some who tested positive say they are receiving calls from BBMP almost after a week. “Why should they call when we have almost recovered?” asks Prabhakaran K. “I got a call exactly seven days after testing positive.”</p>.<p>Staffers at the call centres said they need mental support to keep their cool during difficult calls.</p>
