TIRUCHI
When the district administration opened a COVID-19 care centre at the Bharathidasan University’s city campus at Khajamalai to treat the patients about two months ago, many viewed it as stop-gap arrangement. But, it has emerged as a preferred centre for treating asymptomatic and mild patients of COVID-19.
The centre was opened to accommodate patients at a time when the K.A.P. Viswanatham Medical College Hospital in Tiruchi was struggling to cope up with the sharp rise in the number of patients tested positive for the virus.
A few modifications were made at the hostel and guest house at the Khajamalai campus to accommodate about 550 patients, in addition to the establishment of basic medical equipment.
Taking a cue from the model of a Siddha care centre in Chennai, both allopathy and Siddha treatment were made available at the Khajamalai centre. While patients required medical attention were extended treatment as per the allopathy protocol, others were treated under the Indian medicine system. Besides treating them, focus was on improve the immunity of the patients. Protein rich traditional food and special yoga sessions for enhancing the efficiency of lungs were among the key points in treating the patients.
From the day of admission, patients are kept in the centre for at least 7 days. Since the start of the centre, 682 patients have so far been discharged after the full recovery. There was hardly anyone referred to the other hospitals after being admitted to the centre.
“We were initially terrified after we tested positive for the virus. Our one week stay at the COVID care centre brought back the confidence. We were taken care of well and given a comprehensive exposure on Indian medicine with our traditional food and yoga. I feel fully rejuvenated now,” said S. Soundaram (80) of Andal Street in Tiruchi. She was among three members of her family discharged from the centre a few days ago.
E. Sundararajan of Woraiyur said that 65 patients were accommodated in the centre along with him. All of them were discharged without any major complication. The systematic treatment had really helped the patients to improve the immunity level.
Collector S. Sivarasu, who visits the centre almost on a daily basis, told The Hindu that all mild and asymptomatic were admitted to the COVID care centre, which had come in handy to reduce the patients load at the hospitals. A total of 626 patients were discharged successfully. As per the need, patients were treated with allopathy and Indian medicine methods. It had really worked well.