Apollo Hospitals Group has launched Post-COVID Recovery Clinics to help patients deal with the aftermath of COVID-19 and restore their health.

The Apollo Hospitals Group has launched Post-COVID Recovery Clinics across the hospital network. The Post-COVID Recovery Clinics will address the rising number of patients who have recovered from COVID but are suffering from the mid and long term persistent effects of the infection. Over 50% of COVID patients suffer from problems that include breathlessness, chest pain and heart issues, joint pains, vision problems, and memory loss months after contracting the novel coronavirus. The Post-COVID Recovery Clinics is manned by a team of specialists including Neurologists and Immunologists to help patients deal with the aftermath of COVID-19 and restore them to health. In Chennai, the Post-COVID Recovery Clinic will be conducted at the Apollo Hospitals, Greams Road, Chennai.

Ms. Preetha Reddy, Vice Chairperson, Apollo Hospitals Group, said, “We had realized early on that addressing the COVID challenge would require a comprehensive response plan and had launched Project Kavach in March, which integrated all aspects from patient education, screening and assessment, testing, to infrastructure for quarantine and treatment. With COVID-19 showing that it has lingering effects in patients who have recovered from the virus infection, it became necessary to add the element of post-recovery care to help recovered patients return to their normal life. We are launching these clinics across the group network in various cities. The Post-COVID Recovery Clinics would be a one-stop shop for patients who have recovered from COVID-19 but still have persistent medical effects and symptoms. The clinics will enable us to provide coordinated care without the patient having to run around to different specialists and avoid duplication of testing that a patient might otherwise undergo.”

Dr. V. Ramasubramanian, Senior Consultant, Infectious Diseases, Apollo Hospitals, 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. To address these health issues faced by patients who have recovered from COVID-19, we have started the Post-COVID Recovery Clinics. 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.”

COVID-19 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.

Dr. Sundararajan, Senior Consultant Pulmonologist, Apollo Hospitals 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 is 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 delivery timely medical attention.”

Dr. Suresh, Senior Consultant, Infectious Diseases, Apollo Hospitals said, “Before COVID-19, we were already facing a tsunami of NCDs that were responsible for over 70% of the deaths. The post-COVID syndrome is adding to this disease load and if not addressed with a special focus, will lead to an increase in morbidity and mortality beyond the pandemic with a large number of chronically ill individuals who have recovered from COVID. The specialised clinics will prevent acute components of the post-COVID syndrome from progressing further and effectively manage the chronic situations which form part of the post-COVID syndrome through a patient-focused, comprehensive, tele-consultation and clinic based program.”

The Post-COVID Recovery Clinics will initially be launched in Apollo Hospitals treating COVID-19 in Chennai, Madurai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Mysore, Kolkata, Bhubaneswar, Guwahati, Delhi, Indore, Lucknow, Mumbai and Ahmedabad. The clinics will be manned by a dedicated team consisting of a Family Physician assisted by a nurse.