Hyderabad: City-based NGO Helping Hands Foundations has stepped up to offer telemedicine and allied services to the Telangana forest department, considering a large number of its employees contracting COVID-19, the NGO said on Sunday.
“Forest department, which has encountered over 300 COVID cases and 21 deaths, has engaged us in providing online telemedical and allied services for their 5000 strong staff and family members of the staff,” HHF said in a statement.
Further, HHF will also provide assistance in five government nodal COVID-19 centres in facilitating admissions, besides providing beds to staff in the 50 bedded isolation centre recently set up by the foundation.
The foundation also agreed to provide ambulance services within GHMC limits for COVID emergencies as a part of the MOU signed.
In a video call addressed by R. Shoba, IFS and principal chief conservator of forest, the modalities of the support system for the forest department were discussed by HHF with all concerned officers of the department.
DFOs of districts will be the nodal officer at the district level, the foundation said, and MJ Akbar IFS, CCF of Hyderabad circle will be the overall nodal officer.