Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) opened COVID-19 call center services for academicians and the general public. This call center service formed as an effort to reduce panic in the community in responding to the spread of the Coronavirus, especially in the Special Region of Yogyakarta.
Coordinator volunteers of UGM COVID-19 Call Center, dr. Hayu Qaimamunazzala, MPH., said that through this call center service, the public could find out the development of cases, accurate information about COVID-19, also to know their condition.
"Information on COVID-19 is growing very active in the country. Meanwhile, not a few information spread is unclear and may cause panic in public, so we need online consultation channels to provide precise information," she explained on Saturday afternoon (4/4 ).
The lecturer at the Department of Health, Environment and Social Medicine at the Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing (FKKMK) UGM revealed that the COVID-19 call center service had opened since two weeks ago (3/23/2020). This call center service is not only intended for UGM academicians, but also the general public.
Hayu said during the trial period of the last two weeks; there were around 40 call center callers from both the UGM community and the community. Most of the questions that arise are about self-screening, prevention measures for COVID-19 transmission.
"The questions that come in are mostly about symptoms, prevention, what to do when you have traveled. What is the follow-up? Not a few people are worried and panicked because they feel there are symptoms," he said.
He said that currently, there were 600 students and alumni who registered as UGM COVID-19 call center volunteers. These volunteers are provided with training according to their field of work.
The UGM COVID-19 call center volunteer team came from various backgrounds. Not only from medicine and nursing, but also non-medical health such as pharmacy, nutrition, and dentistry, as well as psychology and others.
Not only conveyed information related to COVID-19, but volunteers also directed towards health screening and direction for the community.
"In this call center service, there is also a psychological consulting service by volunteers from the Faculty of Psychology students and counselors," she explained.
Regarding the appeal about social distancing, the volunteers carried out online coordination with each other. Whereas the face-to-face meeting carried out when handing over mobile phones and numbers to volunteers.
"For people who need help with COVID-19, they can contact the UGM call center at 08112851199," she said.
Author: Ika
Translator: Natasa A