The Ahmedabad Medical Association (AMA), together with AFPA, has launched a free Doctor on Call service to provide medical guidance to residents during the Diwali holiday period from November 7 to 13. The service is intended to support people when doctors’ clinics and outpatient departments may be closed or operating with limited availability.
Residents or their family members can call 9898854158 or 9824038816 to receive medical guidance over the phone. The service will be available during the specified seven-day period and is aimed at helping people decide what medical assistance may be required while they are at home.
Around 70 doctors from Ahmedabad have joined the initiative, along with six coordinators. According to the information reported by Sandesh, the doctors will provide free telephonic guidance to callers seeking help for health-related difficulties during the festival holidays.
The service includes a specific arrangement for accident and burn cases. Firecracker-related injuries and other accidents can require timely medical attention during Diwali, and the helpline will assess callers’ needs and provide guidance based on the reported condition. Where necessary, patients can also receive referral support to an appropriate specialist.
The specialist referral facility is intended to help connect patients with relevant medical expertise when the situation requires more than general advice. The service information does not state that the helpline replaces emergency treatment or hospital care, and callers with serious injuries or urgent symptoms should seek immediate emergency medical assistance.
Holiday closures and reduced outpatient availability can make it difficult for residents to identify where to seek advice for non-routine health problems. By placing doctors and coordinators on a shared telephone service, the AMA and AFPA are creating a temporary access point for medical guidance during the festival period.
The arrangement is also designed to assist families managing injuries at home until they can reach the appropriate healthcare facility. The reported service details do not specify the operating hours, the individual doctors’ specialities, or the hospitals to which referrals will be made. Residents using the helpline will therefore need to follow the instructions provided by the doctors or coordinators during the call.
The Doctor on Call service will remain available from November 7 through November 13. The two contact numbers released for the initiative are 9898854158 and 9824038816.
