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They used WhatsApp to build networks & team for reaching out to those in need of medical help

RANBIR BANDRAL. Dated: 12/13/2022 1:56:25 PM

JAMMU, Dec 13: J.Chadak, an army officer, was desperate when he could not find a bed with ventilator for his father during the deadly second Covid-19 peak. His father was critically ill with low SPO2. He was admitted in Government Medical College hospital in Jammu but no ventilator bed was available.

His was one of the many helpless stories of Covid patients landed up at hospitals that were already filled beyond their capacity. But unlike many others, Chadak was fortunate. He heard of a WhatsApp created helpline comprising several good Samaritans who pooled in their resources and networks to help those who needed it. He reached out to them.

Named ‘SOS HELP 24×7’, the WhatsApp Group e got a bed arranged finally at Psychiatry Hospital, Jammu which was converted into Covid Hospital that time.

The group’s members say they were able to save the lives of many patients in Jammu and Kashmir, and rest of the country.

The WhatsApp group "SOS HELP 24×7," was created in 2021 by an Army Doctor, Dr. Adarsh Sharma, 40, for the purpose of providing oxygen and other essential aid to the COVID-19 patients and continues its work in providing blood to those needing it.

“If you use social media in a good way, it can prove to be a boon for many people,” says the creator of the group. Dr. Adarsh informed that he had a team of about six defence and civil persons, including Aneel Sarotra, Archana Indirapuram, Parul Dubey, Ranganathan and Anitha, who helped him and also worked with him in setting it up. Gradually it became a larger group and was linked to 26 other active WhatsApp groups working on the similar challenge.

Some of his team members were from abroad and helped his group in a very effective way. He said that one of his group member has provided material worth Rs 40 to 50 lakhs through various NGOs and thus the essential items were delivered to the far flung areas of the country during the pandemic.

They have collected funds from various individuals and NGOs. Some NRIs from America, Britain, Singapore also contributed to providing critical life saving equipments and medicines like Oxygen Concentrators, Oxygen Cylinders, BIPAP Machines, Ventilators, SpO2 Monitors, Critical Medicine etc and these were further provided to various Military Hospitals, Field Hospitals and PHCs located in far flung areas.

Their work was not only appreciated by those who got timely help but many were glad to become part of the larger cause and eventually joined the group. One such story is that of Archana.

Archana was desperately looking for a ventilator bed in Delhi NCR Region for her aunt whose SPO2 level was going down continuously. She was not able to find any ICU bed as all ventilator beds were occupied in NCR region due to peak Covid outbreak. She got in touch with Adarsh, who was able to manage one ventilator bed for her aunt at DRDO Covid Care Centre managed by Army in Delhi.

"Dr. Adarsh went above and beyond to help arrange ICU bed for my aunt. My cousin reached out to me at 0330 hours on May 4, 2021 that her mom is critically ill and was trying to find an ICU bed. Her SpO2 levels were around 30-35. As I was a part of a volunteer team in my organization, I reached out to my team of volunteers seeking help. Our team tried everything – we physically visited hospitals, checked online, even spoke to the District Magistrate, but we could not find a bed for her anywhere," Archana said.

She said that then she dropped an SOS in a volunteering group on WhatsApp at 0730 hrs (My friend had added me to that group few days ago). It was " SOS HELP 24×7" group and Dr Adarsh was the admin of that group. He responded asking for the oxygen levels and other information about the patient.

Archana said that Dr Adarsh then spoke to the commanding officer at the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) Hospital, where he was able to arrange an ICU bed and the patient was taken there in an oxygen ambulance. Though, unfortunately, her mother passed away the next day, she called me and personally thanked me that she was satisfied with the fact that at least she was able to give her mother the treatment she needed at the end.

"My cousin's family and I will be forever indebted to all the help provided by Dr Adarsh during those tough times. His unwavering efforts have saved the lives of many during Covid times," she added.

She was so much motivated by this kind act that a person unknown to her helped her at desperate times when her own were unable to do so, that she became an active dedicated member of the group and passionately worked for connecting people who were in dire need for medical help. Archana Naudiyal said that at the heart of the COVID-19 pandemic’s deadly second wave, Dr Adarsh along with his SOS group volunteers demonstrated an exceptional display of solidarity, courage, and resilience. “With the health infrastructure falling short, it was up to the citizens to ensure they could do whatever it took to support their loved ones in dire need,” she added.

Another army officer, Abhimanyu Sharma said that sometime in May 2021, “I received a call from one of my soldier whose father was suffering from COVID 19 and he was in urgent need of a ventilator. He tried his best in all the hospitals but nothing helped. When he contacted me, as usual I just dropped a message to Adarsh. After that it was a matter of few minutes. Ventilator and oxygen cylinders were arranged in the nearest city to. Those utilities were really life saving for the soldier’s father.”

Sharma further lauded the efforts of the WhatsApp group even after the deadly Covid wave was over. “Recently, the mother of Sepoy Raj Kumar required two units of O- blood at Satwari and it was finally arranged by them.”