The Sri Lanka Medical Association (SLMA), the leading professional association of doctors has launched a 24-hour telephone call service for Covid patients who are seeking medical advice during their stay at home. The service can be accessed by dialling 247 from any mobile phone or 1247 from a landline and more than 200 doctors are available to provide medical guidance in all three languages, Sinhala, Tamil and English, said Dr Padma Gunaratne, President of the Sri Lanka Medical Association.
Speaking further Dr Padma Gunaratne said that all mobile phone operators in the country are participating in this event on a toll-free basis and is already operating as a pilot project with the necessary technical facilities to answer every incoming call. Commenting further, Dr Rumis Hanifa, a specialist in charge of the project, said that by calling 247 and 1247, people who have been diagnosed with Covid as well as their families can get relevant medical advice.
“Of particular importance in this service is the sudden exacerbation of the disease in people with mild symptoms of Covid infection. It is very important to follow medical advice to prevent this condition. On the other hand, it is possible to determine whether the patient should be referred to a hospital or not by consulting a doctor about the condition. If so, the 1990 ambulance service will be contacted. He said.
