In collaboration with the Department of Health Abu Dhabi, the Abu Dhabi Health Services Company, SEHA, the UAE’s largest healthcare network, has announced receiving more than 60,000 calls via the Estijaba hotline in March and April with enquiries, comments and appointment or screening requests related to COVID-19 since the outbreak of the virus in the UAE.
During this short period of time, SEHA dedicated 238 qualified and trained individuals comprised of volunteers, SEHA administrative staff as well as doctors to support the Estijaba hotline, which was launched by the Department of Health last year and co-ordinately managed by SEHA at the beginning of the pandemic to aid in responding to callers and supporting the community through this hotline as it navigates throughout this challenging time.
Dr. Marwan Al Kaabi, Group Chief Operations Officer stated: “Given how rapidly the COVID-19 situation is evolving, SEHA is continuously looking for effective ways to support the community’s needs. While medical advancements and innovations in treatment methods are indeed critical at this time, it is equally important to connect directly with the community and provide them with the answers and information they need.”
In the past two months only, the team responsible for the Estijaba hotline are completing an average of 10,000 calls a day, with more than 400 calls per hour. 39% of the calls received are for outpatient booking requests, with the other 61% for COVID-19 related enquiries and comments.
A volunteer from the Estijaba hotline team at SEHA, said:” Being part of this program is truly fulfilling. Every day, I go home knowing I helped someone.”
A team member said: “Speaking with people from across the country and providing them with the information or support they need is the smallest thing I can do to lend a helping hand during this pandemic.”
As SEHA continues to play a pivotal role in the nation’s fight against COVID-19, it also established a dedicated WhatsApp hotline to rapidly respond to the community’s coronavirus-related concerns or inquiries, introduced the Telemedicine Virtual Outpatient Clinic that has completed over 51,000 consultations to-date, and delivered over 3,500 prescriptions to patient homes, with additional deliveries to cars parked at Sheikh Khalifa Medical City.
The Estijaba hotline, which was established by the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi in November 2019, is being managed by SEHA during the COVID-19 pandemic to respond to all enquiries from the community during this trying time.
