CORONACARE.LIFE: A website clearing qualms about Corona Virus launched

Hyderabad, 26th February 2020: An online facility for anyone who is stressed about Corona Virus to talk to someone was launched at the campus of the Catholic Health Association of India (CHAI) at Hyderabad on 26th February. Responding to the increasing number of persons affected by the disease, the platform coronacare.life was launched by Dr. Sr. Victoria along with Rev. Dr. Mathew Abraham, the President, and the Director General of CHAI.

What began as a local outbreak of influenza type attack on a group of people reported first on 31st December 2019 in Wuhan, China, has till today the 27th of February, affected 82,000 people and has taken the lives of 2800+ people, spread across 35 countries.

Billion Lives, a tech company with social passions based in Bangalore, India, headed by Mr. John Santhosh spearheaded the initiative by developing the necessary platform and tech solutions. People can come to the site for live chats, audio, and video calls, apart from communicating through emails.

Project Vision, a Claretian social mission, based also in Bangalore coordinated with various national networks in India to bring together the required professionals who were willing to provide voluntary services. Sister Doctors’ Forum of India (SDFI) and Kerala Association of Professional Social Workers (KAPS) provided the required expert volunteers. Rajagiri Hospital specialists Dr. Jacob and Dr. Neethu along with Dr. Sally John from MGIMS, Wardha, Maharashtra, trained the volunteers. All this background work was coordinated within ten days’ time, as Billion Lives worked on developing the platform.

The site www.coronacare.life is active and accessible. There are about 30 professionals from social work and psychology backgrounds ready to take your call. Doctors are ready to answer your medical queries. People might just want to get information or they want to share their worries and concerns or they are affected in some way like being quarantined and so they want to openly speak with someone.

More partners and volunteers are expected to join the group. This platform can also be used for other emergencies if and when required.
Fr. George Kannanthanam
Secretary, Archdiocesan Commission for Differently Abled