Telekom Donation Line for Humanitarian Medical Aid

Budapest, January 7, 2010 11:00

Anyone calling Telekom's Donation Line at 1788 or sending an SMS in January and February 2010 will support the Special Medical and Rescue Team (DEKOM) of the University of Debrecen.

Drawing on the founders' previous local and international experiences the medical rescue team was set up in 2006 as an association, equipped and trained for special needs, under the auspices of the University of Debrecen. The Medical and Health Sciences Centre of the University of Debrecen is the only medical university in Hungary and, indeed, in Europe that operates a team of this kind.

DEKOM's activities include providing health services at events, providing training for medical students in subjects related to the team's work, collecting donations for the needy at health screening events they organize, preventive care (e.g. vaccination), medical screening and tests for people living on isolated farms, involvement in charity-related activities. Members of the medical and rescue team have provided humanitarian aid and medical treatment in a number of African and Asian countries.

Another reason why DEKOM's work is unique in Hungary is that they also rely on GPRS communication in their diagnostic tools, enabling online consulting with clinics of the University of Debrecen. With the help of their equipment the team is able to provide the highest level diagnostic and technical background in their charity-related activity. Through equipment which enables satellite connection and which is being currently implemented, the images and data from EEG and ultra-sound monitors can be forwarded from any part of the world and, with the help of web cameras, the steps and images of medical examination can be followed remotely by doctors working at the clinics.

The mobile medical help and related scientific research conducted by the DEKOM team is recognized internationally. The medical team can effectively represent our country in rescue missions abroad too. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Civil Defense authority have officially invited the association to be Hungary's official medical team in the event of disasters in Hungary and abroad.

DEKOM ensures the equipment and covers the costs of the medical rescue team out of its own funds (pharmaceuticals, instruments, tools necessary for disaster prevention, communication and travel costs). They raise donations and apply for grants to be able to create the funds for their activity. Additional information about the organization is available at www.dekom.hu.

Magyar Telekom, as a leading info communication provider holds it important to support help preventive care in Hungary.

The Telekom Donation Line known from the slogan: "1788, the human line" has been operating for seven years and can be accessed from both the fixed and the mobile networks. Calls and text messages initiated from either line cost HUF 100, which amount is tax-free (except for calls initiated from Domino pre-paid cards). The price of all the calls received over the two months will go as a donation of the callers to the Special Medical and Rescue Team of the University of Debrecen. They will use the amount to cover the costs of their humanitarian and charity-related activity.

About Magyar Telekom
Magyar Telekom is Hungary's biggest provider of telecom services. It provides a full range of telecommunications and infocommunications (ICT) services including fixed line and mobile telephony, data transmission and non-voice as well as IT and systems integration services. The business activities of Magyar Telekom are managed by two business units: Consumer services (the home-related services brand T-Home and the mobile communications brand T-Mobile) and Business services (T-Systems brand). Magyar Telekom is the majority owner of Makedonski Telekom, the leading fixed line and mobile operator in Macedonia and it holds a majority stake in Crnogorski Telekom, the leading telecommunications operator in Montenegro. Magyar Telekom's majority shareholder (59.21%) is MagyarCom Holding GmbH, fully owned by Deutsche Telekom AG.
For further information visit www.telekom.hu.