File picture of patients lined up in front of the help desk at SCB Medical College and Hospital

Cuttack, Feb. 14: A toll free help-line number will be introduced soon at SCB Medical College and Hospital here for patients in need of immediate medical assistance.

The number is expected to resolve various grievances relating to delay in treatment and other problems faced by patients and their attendants.

“We have asked officials of the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited to complete the process of allotment of a toll-free number, which will be managed from the help desk coming up at SCB soon,” said district collector Girish S.N.

In case of emergencies, patients can use the number so that concerned doctors can be immediately called to respond to the situation.

Besides, the toll-free number will be handy to ensure that patients do not face problems in getting necessary welfare schemes of the government, which includes free medicines and other facilities, at the state-run hospital.

The toll-free number will also be useful in ensuring proper treatment of patients referred to various hospitals outside the state from SCB.

“We have requested various NGOs and Marwari Yuva Manch to provide workers and other volunteers to manage the help desk, which would be made operational from March,” Girish said.

Official sources said that the decisions were taken at a meeting held last week with various officials and NGOs.

SCB officials will provide security for those who would be employed at the proposed help desk. The district Red Cross unit will provide a computer and ensure that no patient and their attendant faces problem in seeking blood in case of any emergency.

“We welcome the decision of the district administration and are hopeful that the initiative will be of great help to the patients coming from various parts of the state to SCB,” said joint secretary of the Marwari Yuva Manch Prakash Agarwal.

Though a “May I Help You Centre” is already operational, it is unable to cater to the various needs of patients because of lack of proper co-ordination between various departments within the hospital.