Dear Editor,
We would like to comment on the publication “‘PALLCARE Seva’—A Beacon Amid the Catastrophic
COVID-19 Times: A Cross-Sectional Study from a Rural Oncology Institute in Western
Maharashtra[1].” This study reports on an audit of the “PALLCARE Seva” telephone service calls.[1] General practitioners might be consulted in more than one-tenth of cases, according
to Patil et al. The main tenets of our service were courtesy and compassion, helpfulness,
addressing skepticism about the condition, and giving patients and caregivers a chance
to express their ideas. The majority of callers—more than three-fourths—rated their
interactions as positive and said they would suggest this service to other patients
in need.[1]
We both agree that the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak made the switch
to broad service necessary. Utilizing a communication tool could be beneficial. However,
the scenario in which it is appropriate varies. Poor infrastructure makes it challenging
to access IT or a basic phone in many rural areas of developing nations. As a result,
it is necessary to analyze the effectiveness of telephone conversations in light of
the regional context. Furthermore, COVID-19's situation is constantly changing. The
arrival of a new COVID-19 vaccination and the emergence of a new variation can both
have a big impact on the local situation. The shifting local COVID-19 epidemic scenario
must be taken into consideration while assessing the effectiveness of phone calls.
