While coronavirus disease (Covid-19) patients are returning to normal life after being cured, experts fear that several of them may face long-term health issues, including shortness of breath, fatigue, headaches and other disorders that can be cured only in post-Covid care clinics.
While a few such clinics have recently come up in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh is yet to establish a centre where patients who have recovered from Covid-19 can be looked after.
“Over one lakh patients have recovered from Covid-19 in Uttar Pradesh and are at home, trying to catch up with normal life. However, very few realise that the three months after being discharged from the hospital are very important. Many patients can face post-Covid health issues, which need to be managed through proper medication,” said Dr Rakesh Kapoor, the director of Medanta Hospital, Lucknow.
“Some recovered patients complain about discomfort in breathing, mental and physical fatigue, etc. For such patients, post-Covid care in post-Covid management clinics, like the ones set up in Delhi, is important,” added Kapoor, who is the former director of Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGIMS).
Insisting that UP will also have to set up such clinics soon, Dr PK Gupta of Indian Medical Association said, “At post-Covid care clinics, recovered patients are given regular check-ups by cardiologists, chest specialists, psychologists, nutritionists, physiotherapists, psychiatrists and other specialists, as required for full recovery.”
{{/usCountry}}Insisting that UP will also have to set up such clinics soon, Dr PK Gupta of Indian Medical Association said, “At post-Covid care clinics, recovered patients are given regular check-ups by cardiologists, chest specialists, psychologists, nutritionists, physiotherapists, psychiatrists and other specialists, as required for full recovery.”
{{/usCountry}}According to Dr Gupta, some patients will also require a CT scan of the lungs and other tests to ensure that they are completely rid of the virus. “Private hospitals must be roped in along with government facilities for this purpose. Private sector has doctors and trained paramedical staff to handle such patients.”
“Post-Covid care is important as there have been cases wherein patients have reported a fall in oxygen levels, breathlessness and even psychological problems. In such cases, counselling and lung physiotherapy is required, which could be take place in post-Covid care clinics,” said professor Radha Krishna Dheeman, director, SGPGIMS.
An official of the Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC), who recovered from the infection around a fortnight ago, said, “Many things change after you get infected. I feel tired much quicker; for that I have been advised lung physiotherapy to expand my lung capacity, but I don’t know where to go. Perhaps a post-Covid care clinic would be helpful.”