Pune civic body to start comorbidity clinics for critical patients

These patients will be called to the OPD to detect the early symptoms of flu so that they could be diagnosed earlier and start treatment at the earliest

Anticipating a possible second wave of Covid-19 in Maharashtra around January 2021, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) will now start Covid-19 comorbidity clinics for early detection and early diagnosis of Severe Acute Respiratory Illnesses (SARI) and Influenza-like Illnesses (ILI).

Multiplex chain operator Inox organised a movie show for “Covid warriors” for their contribution in controlling and spreading awareness about the virus, at its Bund Garden road theatre on Friday. (Rahul raut/HT PHOTO)

According to officials, this will also help keep the case fatality rate low as it is the highest among those who have comorbidities. These patients will be called to the OPD to detect the early symptoms of flu so that they could be diagnosed earlier and start treatment at the earliest.

On Thursday, PMC reported 233 fresh positives, taking the case total to 1,74,884 and seven deaths which takes the death toll to 4,089.

Ashish Bharti, health chief, PMC, said, “We will start Covid-19 comorbidity clinics in all the dispensaries and maternity hospitals which would have a dedicated OPD for the comorbid patients whom we have detected during the state survey, ‘My family, my responsibility.’”

“Early detection of symptoms will lead to early treatment which prevents fatalities. We will divide these hospitals and comorbid clinics into each ward and once in a week we will have a stipulated time to operate these clinics,” he said.

Bharti also added that currently, the only problem is arranging for anti-diabetic and anti-hypertensive medications which we will have to provide to the patients coming for the consultation.

He said, “We will have to provide consultation and medication for free at the clinics. The comorbid people who have been detected through the survey will have to come to the clinic for regular assessment of their health. We will soon start the clinic.”

Dr Sanjay Dabhade from Jan Aarogya, said, “It is a good move. However, it is too late for them to start this but they must not just operate them during Covid-19 but continue to keep a watch on these patients so as to ensure that the overall mortality of the city goes down. Many patients discontinue their tablets for diabetes and hypertension which leads to higher mortality.”

There are about 52 dispensaries which will be attended by the dispensary doctors who will look for early signs of Covid-19 or any flu-like symptoms and then they would be advised for further treatment.