Abhijit Bangar, the Municipal Commissioner of Navi Mumbai, makes at least five calls to patients at COVID Care Centre or hospitals to check whether patients are taken care of properly or not. From their health-related problems to the food being served to them, he discusses it all with the patients. The civic chief terms this practice as human touch in the COVID fight.
There were complaints that patients are not taken care of at the COVID Care Centre (CCC) or hospitals. It was related to the availability of medicine, poor quality foods being served to patients and unavailability of doctors or other medical support staffs.
However, the civic authority took the complaints as a challenge and ensured that all facilities are given to patients at CCC and hospitals.
Bangar said that he makes at least five calls every day randomly to patients at CCC or hospitals and talks to them. “I enquire about their health condition and other facilities available there,” said Bangar. He added that this is a little effort to get in touch with the patients directly and ensured them that they are under the supervision of senior officials.
It's not about the patients only, in fact, officials deputed at these centre also execute their duty diligently. “Since they know that senior officials can check facilities and services at any time, they also put their best effort,” said Bangar.
In addition, in order to trace the infected and reach out to isolated or quarantined persons, NMMC has also set up a call centre that makes between 3,000 to 5,000 calls every day. The executives at the call centre ensure that each and every person isolated or quarantined at home must be at home, and take their health status.
“Each and every call made to patients or comorbid persons is recorded. I have access to all call recordings and I check them to ensure quality,” said Bangar. He added that in the COVID fight we need to instil faith in citizens.
