With the closure of private medical clinics in Yemen’s eastern Hadhramout governorate as part of procedure to contain the coronavirus, doctors have taken the initiative to assist patients by providing medical consultations through chat applications free of charge.

The initiative, announced by the Hadramout Health Organization, includes a group of specialists and consultants from different medical specialities who have shown their readiness to serve patients free of charge through social media apps like WhatsApp.

Since its implementation the initiative has been praised by residents of the governorate, who have been largely confined to their homes due to government-imposed stay-at-home orders and curfews after large numbers of COVID-19 infections and deaths were recorded.

Dr. Omar Ba Rhman, a specialist in endoscopy of the gastrointestinal tract and liver, said that he has advised dozens of people from all areas of Hadhramout and neighboring governorates through the initiative.

He told Almasdar Online that the aim of the initiative is to reach out to patients, especially those with chronic diseases, who have not found anyone to evaluate them at public and private hospitals. The online consultation helps keep them in their homes for their own safety and that of the public.

Dr. Hassan Batis, an associate consultant in pediatric hematology and oncology, said helping parents and alleviating their suffering is one of the reasons that pushed him to join the initiative.

He told Almasdar Online that many patients are afraid to go to the hospital out of fear of contracting coronavirus. That underlines the importance of providing them with electronic assistance, he said.

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Edited by Casey Coombs