Covid-19 management in disarray without phones, internet

Covid-19 management in disarray without phones, internet

Srinagar: The suspension of mobile phone and mobile internet services since Wednesday morning has made difficult communication between doctors and health care workers in Kashmir.
Health authorities say they are unable to communicate with doctors and other paramedical staff posted at different hospitals. Sources in the health department said that the sudden blockade of communication has thrown into disarray the coordination of health care services related to managing Covid-19. They said that communication with doctors and staff in far-flung areas has completely snapped.
Dr Deeba, Chief Medical Officer(CMO) Baramulla, told Kashmir Reader, “The ongoing communication blockade has hit the health sector hard, as we haven’t been able to carry effective contact tracing of infected patients. The contact tracing gets affected because we fail to get in quick touch with contacts of infected patients.”
She added, “The communication blockade can prove disastrous with respect to the spread of infection. Besides this, we’re not able to be in constant communication with the doctors designated for Covid duties, and those on ground to check for the contacts and monitoring other matters.”
Dr Suhail Naik, President of Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK), told Kashmir Reader, “The health care sector in Kashmir valley has been affected due to the suspension of mobile internet services for the last two days. Our doctors battling with Covid-19 are finding it hard to track the contacts of positive patients to prevent further spread of the virus.”
Besides this, he added, several initiatives launched by doctors of Kashmir valley for patients have also been affected.
Mobile phone services as well as mobile internet remained suspended for the third consecutive day on Friday, after it was suspended due to the killing of Hizb Commander Riyaz Naikoo on Wednesday.
Since then, Kashmir has recorded at least 30 new positive Coronavirus cases, taking the region’s tally to over 800. The total number of deaths due to Coronavirus has reached 9, with a new death reported on Thursday.

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