Rohit Shishodia
The Apollo hospitals group has set up post-Covid recovery clinics to provide treatment to patients who have recovered from the infection but they continue to suffer symptoms. The clinics have been set up across cities including Delhi, Chennai, Madurai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Mysore, Kolkata, Bhubaneswar, Guwahati, Indore, Lucknow, Mumbai and Ahmedabad.

According to the group, over 50% of Covid patients suffer from post Covid problems that include breathlessness, chest pain and heart issues, joint pains, vision problems, and memory loss months after contracting the novel coronavirus.

The clinics will be manned by a team of specialists including neurologists and immunologists to help patients deal with the aftermath of the disease and restore them to health.

Mr P Shivakumar, Managing Director, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, New Delhi, said, “Many patients who have recovered from Covid-19 at our hospitals have been contacting us for symptoms that they are having, and not knowing where to go for them.”

“These exclusive clinics for post-Covid care will help patients to connect to the specialised care that they need. We have laid down the guidelines and have trained the clinicians to ensure that patients get the correct treatment. The clinics will help patients recover completely from the consequences of Covid-19 and return to living life as before Covid.”

Experts have said that Covid impacts almost all the vital organs in the body. Apart from acute events like stroke and myocardial infarction, chronic conditions like diabetes and hypertension are part of the post-Covid syndrome. A number of sudden deaths in post-Covid patients have been reported and most of these are attributed to acute cardiac events.

Mr Kumar said, “Covid-19 attacks not just the lungs but other organs in the body and leaves behind lingering health issues. Some of the manifestations occur weeks and months after the treatment for acute phase are completed and patient has recovered and impact the well-being of individuals beyond the acute phase.”

“While longer-term problems are more common among patients who have been hospitalized, even patients who have recovered from a mild case can suffer from the prolonged effects of the virus. Some of the long-term effects may be severe and disabling in nature. This specialized clinic will enable us to monitor symptoms of patients on an ongoing basis and deliver timely medical attention,” he explained.