State plans health information helpline

Karnataka plans to have doctors on call for citizens in need of medical advice or possibly for emergency situations, said Health and Family Welfare commissioner Anjum Pervez on Wednesday.

The effort is part of the proposed ‘104’ Health Information Helpline to provide information on healthcare, starting early next year.

The health department is finalising a proposal document to invite bidders to set up and operate the helpline. The State cabinet cleared the project in June. Tenders for a public-private partnership (PPP) will be invited in the next 15 days.

“We are studying the models adopted by Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan and Gujarat and want to benefit from their experience. We want to have the best and the latest product in the market,” said Pervez.

The 104 helpline will be able to take a hundred calls simultaeneously. Later, the department plans expand to a 300-call capacity.

Once in place, callers can avail three type of services: general information, actual consultation and higher level of consultation and counselling.

There is also a proposal to link the helpline to ‘108’ so that ambulances can be rushed to callers’ in emergency situations. The service will be in Kannada and English. The project will have an estimated operational cost of Rs 70 lakh per month with a capital cost of Rs 14 crore, Pervez said.

General information will pertain to the government’s public health programmes, location of the nearest hospital or diagnostic service centre and blood banks. Complaints about deficiency of services and corruption in government hospitals and primary healthcare centres can also be registered.

Trained staff will attend calls that seek general information. But qualified medical practioneers will be on standby for actual medical guidance.

However, doctors will dispense advice on meaures to be taken only for minor ailments. The helpline will even send a “prescription” via SMS to the caller for over-the-counter medicines.

Consultation with the nearest doctor will be advised if helpline personnel feel the symptoms narrated by the caller require immediate medical attention. The helpline can also be accessed for counselling and advice for stress, depression, anxiety, post-trauma recovery and HIV-AIDS.