Hamilton-based Muslim community leader Anjum Rahman says she was delighted about the health and welfare support she received after testing positive for Covid-19. Photo / Sarah Ivey
Hamilton-based Muslim community leader Anjum Rahman says she was delighted about the health and welfare support she received after testing positive for Covid-19. Photo / Sarah Ivey
Hamilton-based Muslim community leader Anjum Rahman says she is delighted by the health and welfare support she received after logging a positive Covid-19 test on My Covid Record.
In a series of tweets, she described the supportive calls from public health, the Waikato Care in the Community hub, her GP, and medication delivered to her doorstep by her pharmacy as "gold standard healthcare".
Rahman says after she submitted the Covid-19 positive form on the website, the Waikato DHB called asking how she was, checked on the events leading up to her positive test, and was thorough in answering all her questions before referring her to the Waikato Care in the Community hub.
The Care in the Community hub then checked Rahman was well supported, could get groceries, helped her access RATs, and followed up with a text giving her relevant websites and an 0800 number. Later that afternoon her GP called and talked through her asthma management plan promising to call again in two days.
Rahman says when her GP called at the scheduled time, she was concerned about her breathing and was immediately prescribed further medication which was sent to the nearest pharmacy.
"Within an hour, the medication was at my doorstep, delivered by the pharmacy, and this was then followed up with a call from my GP the next day. To me, this feels like gold standard healthcare.
"I was given the information and medicines I needed, and knew there were people who cared, and were ready to help as soon as I needed it."
Rahman founded the Inclusive Aotearoa Collective Tāhono (IACT) project after the 2019 mosque attacks in Christchurch.
Executive lead at Waikato DHB's Covid-19 directorate Maree Munro. Photo / Supplied
She says she particularly wanted to share her positive experience because when connecting with people through IACT, she too often heard the opposite.
"We formed IACT to build inclusivity, and in the process met with over 800 people, listening to their stories ... Many of them talked about how difficult it was for them to access the healthcare they needed.
"It was often about how hard it was to get to the right medical professional and, when they did, of being really heard and listened to."
Executive lead Waikato DHB Covid-19 directorate Maree Munro says the 11 regional Care in the Community hubs throughout the Waikato were established to achieve the best possible health outcome for everyone.
"They have played a key role in caring for communities during this Covid-19 outbreak. There is now planning under way to leverage off the hubs' Covid-19 response success to be prepared for ... the arrival of influenza ... in the community.
"A number of the hubs are supporting the delivery of vaccinations such as influenza [and] MMR ... immunisations to the community in a culturally safe manner."
If you need support while isolating with Covid-19, you can contact the central coordination hub from 8am to 8pm, seven days a week on 0800 220 250 or the DHB's local call centre can also refer you to the regional Care in the Community hub.
You can contact the national Covid-19 healthline at 0800 358 5453.
