Nikhat Fatima, Siyasat
Battling COVID does not always ensure complete recovery. In some patients it has been observed that they need prolonged care as they still have some symptoms left such as fatigue, loss of smell, loss of appetite, diarrhoea, weakness, insomnia and few more. In such cases where the infection has gone but impacted the organs, the patients need care and support apart from medications.
Doctors say that this post COVID care should be started as soon as the person is discharged from the hospital after being treated for C -19.
Clinical Psychologists, believe that due to isolation during treatment, fear, stigma and anxiety causes many patients who have recovered from COVID to have post-traumatic stress disorders which requires a lot of professional counselling to help them come out of the problem.
Many families do not have such facilities at home; some families cannot afford the luxury of post covid care after shelling out a hefty sum for covid treatment already. Apart from this some of the family members are reluctant to take back their own kith and kin even after they have recovered fully due to societal pressure and stigma. Also the fear of being infected themselves forces them to leave their own kin in lurch. Most of such patients are the elderly.
In such a scenario, once again Helping Hands Foundation (HHF), a NGO based in Hyderabad supported by SEED, USA (Support for economic and Education development) has come forward and set up a Post Covid Care Rehab in Rajendranagar where they already are running a ‘Comfort and Care Centre’ for the elderly.
The Post COVID Care Rehabilitation centre has 25 beds along with the following key components – Oxygen therapy and respiratory physiotherapy, Mental health counselling, Nutritional therapy. All these will help to tackle prolonged weakness in the patient improving his/her fitness.
Basic nursing and bed side care is given by attendants under medical supervision & if needed through consultation by specialist. Special focus is given on the nutritional aspect as most of the patients experience chronic fatigue and weakness. A good healthy diet helps to improve physical health of the patient and also boosts the immunity levels hastening the recovery process helping the patient regain his strength and a normal life.
Bhaskar, 40 years (name changed) came for covid treatment to Hyderabad from Warangal and after being discharged is at the rehab centre from one week. His son who works in Hyderabad had brought him to the city for treatment and later got his admitted at the centre for post covid treatment. Bhaskar says, “I am beginning to feel better. The staff here is kind and give us food on right time along with medicines.” He also said that he has not been charged anything so far.
Another patient, Sai Kumar (name changed), aged 41 years, also a non- Hyderabadi, after being discharged from Apollo hospitals has come to the rehab centre. Says he, “ I had undergone plasma treatment at Apollo and was discharged after I was tested negative. But breathing problem persisted. When I came here I was put on oxygen and after a week the quantity was decreased. And now I am able to breathe freely and in another 2 days will not need oxygen at all.”
Sai runs a shop in his village and hopes to return after recovering completely.
He is thankful to the staff and the organisation running the centre for such a good treatment.
“Our focus is to provide good post recovery rehab to patients so they are fit both physically and mentally for nominal cost. So that they can come back to normalcy and start going around their life soon” said Mr. Mujtaba Hasan Askari of Helping Hand Foundation.
The centre also provides inpatient Neuro Rehabilitation, tracheostomy care, and other rehabilitation services for adults and elders at most affordable cost and has round the clock services from a professional team of care givers, counsellors, and medical officer in a highly hygienic, clean and a home like environment so that patients feel comfortable.
To avail the post covid rehab in Hyderabad, the patients or their attenders will have to share their latest RT-PCR report along with the discharge summary of the patient and interested may contact Tel # 040-7702005827.
(www.siyasat.net is Ahmedabad,Gujarat, India based Website)
