DAMASCUS, Dec 23 (NNN-XINHUA) – In a small room in one of Damascus’ neighbourhoods, a handful of young men and women were energetically receiving phone calls and writing down information about COVID-19 patients in need of help.
Under the names of Aqemha, or sterilise it, and Sammat Hakeem, Arabic for doctor’s stethoscope, dozens of young people and doctors joined forces to provide help for people suffering from COVID-19 and to ease the pressure on hospitals.
Aqemha group started months ago by volunteers from universities, offering sterilisation in public places, homes, and schools. The group also helps people with oxygen deficiency secure oxygen cylinders for free.
Sammat Hakeem, on the other hand, started three years ago, as a Facebook page, offering information for medical school students. However, the page, which comprises more than 100 doctors, started offering medical consultations online for free, during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Both groups become popular in Syria, with a growing number of people seeking their help.
Omar Bozo, the founder of Aqemha, said, his group had been preparing for months for the second wave of the pandemic, adding that their collaboration with Sammat Hakeem came, as a big medical team is needed to deal with the growing demands of people.
He said, patients who need a doctor will get one for free, but they have to pay for his transportation.
“We offer consultations through social media platforms such as, Facebook, WhatsApp, and phone calls. There is an increase in phone calls lately, as we are witnessing now the peak of the second wave of the virus,” he said.
The 24-year-old university student underscored the need for young people to engage in social initiatives, to provide help for the people, particularly as the war in Syria hasn’t ended yet, while there is economic hardship resulting from the sanctions.
For his part, Hussain Najjar, a doctor, and founder of Sammat Hakeem, said, due to the massive interaction his social media page is receiving, they launched a mobile app to organise the requests and consultations.
“We received 14,000 consultations related to COVID-19 via the app. We sensed popular interaction, as a result of the trust we have earned from the people,” he said.
Najjar said, the service they provide is simpler than those in hospitals, noting that, any help is good to support doctors in hospitals.
“The doctors working in public hospitals have endured bigger pressure and they were the unknown soldiers of what we call the White Army,” he remarked.
Najjar pointed that, they help people with hypoxia (oxygen deficiency), and those with mild symptoms of the virus, either through the application or phone calls.
Since Mar, over 10,000 COVID-19 cases have been officially reported in government-controlled areas in Syria, with the actual number expected to be higher.
Health ministry officials said recently that, the number of officially registered cases had increased five times since mid-Nov.– NNN-XINHUA
