The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on May 30th has issued an advisory to all private television channels to display four new national helpline numbers for the benefit of citizens as part of the COVID-19 awareness initiative.
“The helpline numbers should be displayed as a ticker or such appropriate ways as they may consider at periodical intervals, especially during prime time,” stated the letter to the private news channels.
The channels have been asked to display the National helpline number of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare -1075, child helpline number of the Ministry of Women and Child Development-1098, senior citizens helpline of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment- 14567(in Delhi, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand) and helpline number of National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) for psychological support – 08046110007.
“Over the last several months, the Government has created awareness through various instrumentalities and media platforms, including print, TV, Radio, social media, etc. for creating awareness on the three critical issues – COVID treatment protocol, COVID appropriate behavior and Vaccination,” the letter read.
The letter also credited private TV channels for having played an essential role in supplementing the government’s efforts in fighting this epidemic by creating awareness and informing people about the aforementioned three issues. It has urged that further this cause and the private TV channels are advised to promote awareness of the four national level helpline nos.
