Mumbai: BMC starts counselling of Covid-19 patients

Many Covid-19 patients have reported mental health issues with Maharashtra health minister Rajesh Tope underlining the need for their regular counselling.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has started counselling Covid-19 patients at a centre for the treatment of the disease in Mumbai’s Goregaon as most of them complain of depression and sadness as they are away from their families for treatment there.

Health care workers during a Covid-19 screening drive in Andheri (W) in Mumbai on November 20. (Satyabrata Tripathy/HT Photo)

Many Covid-19 patients have reported mental health issues with Maharashtra health minister Rajesh Tope underlining the need for their regular counselling.

The BMC has taken the first initiative to provide counselling to Covid-19 patients at the centre, where moderately ill Covid-19 patients undergo treatment. It has identified some patients for counselling via 60 smartphones.

“We have tied up with Prafulta-Centre for Psychological Wellness. Everyday for three to four hours, the counsellors counsel the patients. The medical staffers are trained to identify patients who need counselling. We have prepared a list of such patients. According to the list, the centre provides the time slots for counselling,” said the centre’s in charge, Dr Neelam Andhrade.

“Though there is no scientific evidence available, we have seen that patients who talk regularly on phone with their relatives recover faster. In fact, the recovery rate is higher among older patients.”

The BMC is planning to start similar telephonic counselling at other centres. “We are getting quite a good response from the centre. So, we are in talks to start the facility at other centres also. We have also ordered smart electronic pads for patients. We have allocated a budget worth ₹9 crore for the procurement process,” said BMC’s additional commissioner Suresh Kakani.