Patients suffer as Odisha government fails its post-Covid clinic promise

CUTTACK: Despite the rising incidence of long Covid cases where patients suffer from serious complications even after recovering from the disease, the governments promise of  setting up post-Covid clinics for follow-up treatment of patients remains a far cry. As a result, people suffering from complications have no option but to rely on private hospitals and clinics where treatment cost is extremely high and beyond reach of the major sections.

Nandita Lenka (55) of Patra Sahi near College Square is one such patient who after recovering from the disease is now spending Rs 10,000-Rs 12,000 per month for treatment of post-Covid complications. Nandita, who along with three other members of her family tested positive for the virus, was discharged from the Ashwini Covid Hospital on June 5. But, it was not the end of her ordeal as owing to absence of facilities for post-Covid complications at government facilities in the city and unable to bear the cost at the Ashwini Covid Hospital, she now depends on a private clinic for treatment. 

In the wake of rise in post-Covid complications and fatalities after recovery during the second wave of Covid-19 and the need for continuous follow-up with doctors of designated Covid hospitals (DCHs) where the patients are treated, Covid observer for Cuttack and Revenue Divisional Commissioner (RDC) Anil Kumar Samal on June 6 had instructed for opening post-Covid consultation OPDs at all the eight DCHs in Cuttack as early as possible. However, the DCHs are yet to come up with the specialised OPDs to deal with problems faced by the recovered patients. 

Setting up of post-Covid complication OPDs would have helped patients like Nandita. Samal said though he had instructed for opening of post-Covid complication OPDs, the DCHs set up at private hospitals later denied to provide consultation free of cost with the plea that no provision for the same was made in the contract they had signed with the government. He said steps are being taken to open to such OPD at SCB Medical College and Hospital as soon as possible.