Fortis Hospital, Anandapur launches Kolkata’s First Dedicated ‘Post COVID-19 OPD’

News Correspondent, abptakmaa, Kolkata, 22nd Aug 2020 : The COVID-19 pandemic continues to wreak havoc in the lives of citizens; this is the city where most of those infected have successfully beaten the infection, owing to astute public-private-partnership efforts and accurate medical interventions. In sync with the ever changing dynamics, doctors and caregivers continue to work tirelessly to save and enrich lives. Aiming to tackle the short and long term complications of COVID-19 in patients who have beaten the infection, Fortis Hospital, Anandapur launched a dedicated ‘post-COVID -19 OPD’, today.

The post-COVID-19 OPD is based on three key pillars, clinical assessment, psychological intervention and rehabilitative care. Detailed clinical assessment will help in tackling the residual impact of the infection mostly physical rehab, Cardiac, Gastro intestinal, Neurological and Psychological aspects. Physical rehabilitation is important so as to assess impact on mobility, exercise tolerance and muscle weakness. Psychological evaluation will also play a big role in addressing Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) amongst those who have battled severe COVID-19; it is as big a component as physical rehabilitation. These key areas of focus will help understand, diagnose and treat the long and short term implications of COVID-19, post recovery.

At the post-COVID-19 OPD, patients will also be assessed for Lung fitness and Pulmonary Fibrosis, especially amongst those who have had complicated recoveries in the ICU. Those with pre-existing conditions such as Diabetes, Hypertension, Obesity, etc. will be evaluated to gauge the seriousness of the disease before, and after contracting COVID-19. This focused effort will help COVID-19 survivors who experience generalized weakness & lethargy, pain in the limbs, and those facing difficulty in recovering Lung capacity.

Speaking about the importance of the rehabilitation program and the post-COVID-19 OPD, Dr Raja Dhar, Director-Pulmonology, Fortis Hospital, said, “A lot of patients suffering from the entire spectrum of mild to severe Covid 19 programme related to their heart, lung, neurological, psychiatric, muscle related problem. These normally start in the post Covid period even after the RT PCR tests becomes negative and these manifest in various ways among these individuals. Even it is important to follow these patients up closely, clinically by the means of investigations to try and pre-empt the diagnosis of these problems rather than waiting for them to happen. The post covid outpatient clinic and packages that fortis has formulated will help in the process of trying to prevent ability and morbidity in this population of patients.”

Speaking about the launch of the dedicated post-COVID-19 OPD, Ms Richa Singh Debgupta, Senior Vice President said, “Our medical teams has been working tirelessly for over four months and have responded to the call of duty during these unpredictable times of COVID-19 pandemic.

To take this care of the next level we are introducing post COVID-19 OPD with a clear objective to create awareness among the people and treat and rehabilitate people back into their daily lives by providing clinical psychological and rehabilitation care.”

Joining the team of Dr Raja Dhar, Dr Yashesh Paliwal, Dr Sibabrata Banerjee, Dr Basab Bijoy, Dr. Dibyendu Mukherjee & Dr. Joydeep Ghosh, will be Cardiologists, Neurologists, Gastroenterologists, Mental Health experts, Physiotherapists and Medical Social Workers. The team can be contacted on 8585030348, for appointments. Publicity : Carpediem Communique.