Call hotline for health advice in Saudi Arabia, ambassador tells Bangladeshis

Bangladesh Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Golam Moshi has urged Bangladeshis living there to call 937 for health advice if any of them suffer from coronavirus-like symptoms.

"Call 937, if any expatriate Bangladeshi has fever, cold or cough and get a check-up immediately," he said in a video message uploaded on the embassy's social media page.

Moshi, Bangladesh's outgoing ambassador to the Kingdom, said the Saudi government has taken steps to provide free coronavirus treatment to both regular and undocumented foreign workers.

Besides, Bangladeshi workers' iqama or residency permit with an expiry date between March 18 and June 30 will be renewed automatically in the next three months without any fine, he added.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has given special directives to help Bangladeshi expatriates and asked the embassy in Riyadh and consulate general in Jeddah to stand by them during the crisis, Moshi said.

Urging the expatriates to communicate with the mission offices in their need, Moshi said they are ready to provide all kinds of support.

He also urged Bangladeshis living in the Kingdom to abide by the curfew and movement control measures imposed by the royal authorities to curb coronavirus.

It is the hotline of Saudi health ministry's service centre, which received over 1.4 million calls over a month until March for advices regarding coronavirus and other diseases, according to Saudi Press Agency.

As of today, Saudi Arabia reported 7,142 coronavirus infections, 87 deaths, and 1,049 recovered cases.