A post COVID-19Wellness Clinic has been started in Government Rajaji Hospital to monitor the health status of those who have recovered from the disease, said Health Secretary J. Radhakrishnan here on Sunday.
Addressing the mediapersons after inspecting a fever clinic in Mudakkuchalai here, Mr. Radhakrishnan said it was important to follow up the patients who had recovered from COVID-19, especially those who had severe symptoms. “With COVID-19 affecting the lungs, few persons who have lower immunity, compounded by age and comorbidities, take a long time for full recovery. Continuous surveillance will help in early identification in case a discharged person develops a secondary infection, and treat them at the earliest,” he said. A post COVID-19 Wellness Clinic will also be started at Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital in Chennai in the coming week, he added.
A separate OP with doctors will periodically monitor the discharged persons. If any complaints are raised, the recovered patients will be completely screened and regular blood tests will be taken, he added.
On the higher death rate in the State, he said: “Swab samples are lifted from all patients who are treated in the hospitals. According to the guidelines of the World Health Organisation and Indian Council of Medical Research if a COVID-19 positive person dies, even if there was other underlying cause of death such as heart attack or cancer, it would be considered a COVID-19 death.”
He also said that strict action would be taken against private hospitals which charge in excess for treating COVID-19 positive patients. “We have already cancelled a hospital as COVID-19 treating facility for charging in excess and have made several hospitals to repay the patients. At the district level, the Joint Director (Health) would take severe action against private hospitals that charge in excess,” he said.
Mr. Radakrishnan said that it was a positive sign that for the past six weeks the active cases in the State had been less than 55,000. In Madurai, currently active cases are around 1,057. “But, this is the period that people need to practice utmost caution. They cannot think that cases are under control and forget to practice safety precautions. Everyone must wear a face mask and social distance must be followed at workplaces, especially at dining halls,” he said.
Intensive screening and testing through fever camps will continue in Madurai district, he added.
District Collector T.G. Vinay and Corporation Commissioner S. Visakan were also present. Later, the Health Secretary also held a discussion at Government Rajaji Hospital with the Dean J. Sangumani.