YCMH sets up post Covid rehab centre, 2 non-Covid wards also opened

The Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC)-run Yeshwantrao Chavan Memorial Hospital (YCMH) has set up a Post-Covid Rehabilitation Centre to help those, who have recovered from Covid, to get back on their toes and perform their daily chores like they did before being infected.

“The Covid-19 scourge has been continuing for over a year now. Several patients, who recovered from the ailment, continue to suffer from weakness and reduced capacity of lungs. They experience breathing problems. In a bid to rehabilitate such patients and increase their capacity to perform their daily activities, the Post-Covid Rehabilitation Centre has been set up at YCMH,” the PCMC administration said. The centre started commissioning on June 15.

Dr Rajendra Wable, dean of YCMH, said: “The centre is especially for the patients, who face lung issues. Covid patients, whose oxygen level had fallen, face reduced lung capacity post recovery. For such patients, we will conduct training and counselling to increase their lung capacity and overall wellbeing.”

Dr Wable said they have appointed a physiotherapist to help and guide the patients to resume their regular activities. “We will appoint one more physiotherapist for this purpose,” he added.

The machines, required to train such patients, have been purchased jointly by the PCMC and the Cipla Foundation. “Before starting the centre, Dr Wable and Cipla Foundation chief Anurag Mishra ensured that all compliances were met,” the PCMC administration added.

Till date, Pimpri-Chinchwad has registered 2,54,526 positive cases. Of these, 2,49,015 patients have recovered. More than 80 percent among them are asymptomatic or had mild symptoms, health officials said.

“Only those, who required oxygen support after their blood oxygen level fell and had lung involvement, will need rehabilitation,” said Dr Wable.

Meanwhile, two wards for non-Covid patients have been started at YCMH. “Since the number of Covid patients has gone down, we have started two non-Covid wards as well. Covid patients have been accommodated in two wards,” Dr Wable said, adding that OPD and IPD facilities for non-Covid patients have also been started.

In another development, the PCMC standing committee has sanctioned Rs 1.88 crore to be paid to the contractor, who runs the Jumbo Covid hospital at Nehrunagar.

“The total amount to be paid to be contractor is Rs 5.66 crore. Of which, around Rs 3.77 crore has already been paid; the remaining amount should also be paid to the contractor,” committee chairman Nitin Landge said.

The 816 Jumbo Covid Hospital was set up at Nehrunagar, jointly by the PCMC and the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) in July last year when Covid cases had started rising.