COVID after-effects an emerging challenge for doctors, patients

At a time when the Covid-19 graph seems to be showing a slide the nation, another trend is giving sleepless nights to patients as well as health experts — the after-effects reported among the patients who have recently turned Covid negative.
Dr. Sudhir Bhandhari, principal and controller, SMS Medical College Hospital, says: “We have observed a new trend wherein the patients who turned negative are complaining of respiratory distress, mental trauma of stress, transitory diabetes, cardiac issues, problems in kidney, pancreas and body fatigue.”
“On the basis of our team’s advice, the state government on October 21 issued orders to set up post-Covid clinics across the state in each district headquarter,” he said.
In these clinics, patients who turned Covid-19 will be registered and their physical evaluation shall be done in three stages, including physiotherapy, collecting references based on cardiology, nephrology and psychiatry and diagnostic work-up.
Thereafter, advice will be given to such patients on treatment, breathing exercise, daily activity and mental health.
If reports in Jaipur are to be believed, the number of recovered patients falling sick is increasing as they are complaining of respiratory distress, stress, among others.
SMS Hospital in Jaipur had set up a post Covid OPD in September where over 11,000 patients came up complaining of different problems. Out of them, many patients had to be admitted to the ICU, officials said.
Another senior medical practitioner Dr. Virendra Singh confirmed that post Covid complications are being reported in the state.
He said that many patients who turn negative have pulmonary shadows left out which can have an impact on the normal functioning of the body.
Also because of clotting and inflammation, the lungs contract due to which intake of oxygen gets reduced.
“I have been receiving four to five such patients daily, who basically are pulmonary patients. However, other than pulmonary side effects, the patients also suffer weakness, headache, stress disorder, mood swings and sleeplessness,” Dr. Singh said.
Cases of paralysis, heart attack, irregularity in pulse and memory loss are also being reported by patients, he added.
However such patients recover although slowly with proper treatment. Out of 700-800 patients admitted in our hospital, 5 per cent have developed these symptoms, he added. (IANS)