Due to the current situation caused by COVID-19, healthcare centres need to have the maximum resources possible to attend to and inform the population.  For that reason, the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at UIC Barcelona and EAP Sardenya have put into practice a volunteering initiative alongside bachelor’s degree in Medicine students. 

From Monday 16 March, more than 60 students from sixth year and numerous students from other years of our bachelor’s degree in Medicine started to answer questions about COVID-19 remotely for users of this primary care centre in Barcelona.  From their own homes, in order to respect protective measures, the volunteers contact people who have called or visited the healthcare centre to ask questions or to receive information about this disease.  Therefore, both EAP Sardeya and UIC Barcelona are helping to stop the 061 telephone number from being overwhelmed with calls. 

In the words of Dr lbert Balaguer, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at UIC Barcelona “although it does not surprise us, it is comforting to see how the current situation has mobilised our students, who, above all, want to help other members of the population”.  “As a university where we teach future doctors, carrying out this initiative with EAP Sardenya is part of our commitment to society” explained Dr Balaguer.