Hidden within every crisis is an opportunity to learn and offer solutions. This is a lesson imbibed in the entire Ahmedabad University team. In sync with this learning, while India was combatting the second and the most deadly wave of Covid-19 faced by the country till date, Ahmedabad Alumna Ruhani Dalal, BCA, Class of 2019, School of Computer Studies, launched an initiative to facilitate easy access to the latest information and resources regarding the disease. Coming at a time when timely access to accurate information was the need of the hour, her portal assumed herculean significance.

Ruhani, along with Dr Radhe Shah, an alumna of NHL Medical College, launched www.covidahmedabad.in, a user-friendly portal for people to get verified, updated and authentic information regarding Covid-19 resources. The website provided real-time data regarding the availability of medicines, injections, oxygen, plasma, beds, tiffin facilities and ambulance services. Besides this, one could also access information on home care and consultation, RT PCR tests, blood testing at home and on mental wellbeing. The interactive feature of this portal was its USP as it also allowed people to share the information available with them with others.
 
As part of this initiative, Ruhani and her colleague had also appealed to people to help meet the heavy demand for plasma. Plasma from a single donor can help at least three patients. However, the necessary conditions for plasma donation include not just having had Covid and having recovered completely but also specific requirements of either not being vaccinated at all or having taken the first vaccine at a specified time, among several others. In view of the mass vaccination campaign of the government, finding plasma donors had become a challenge during the second wave. Which is why the appeal by the team at covidahmedabad.in was extremely important and impactful.

Ruhani’s work stands testimony to Ahmedabad University’s constant endeavour of shaping youth inclined towards approaching real world problems via multidisciplinary solutions.