The Jharkhand health department has designated six hospitals across the state to run post-Covid-19 care and counselling centres to help those recovering from the ailment without any health complications.

State health secretary Nitin Madan Kulkarni said on Friday that letters in this regard had been sent to the hospitals namely, RIMS in Ranchi, Tata Main Hospital in Jamshedpur, Bokaro General Hospital, Sheikh Bihari Medical College and Hospital in Hazaribagh and Shaheed Nirmal Mahato Medical College and Central Hospital in Dhanbad.

Kulkarni said the idea behind post-Covid care centres was to enhance life expectancy by addressing any other complications a patient may have attained during the course of their coronavirus infection. “The post-Covid care centres will help recovered patients with counselling regarding health needs and periodic check-ups to tackle any co-morbid conditions. In the first phase, six such centres are being set up,” he said.

An official at the state chapter of National Health Mission (NHM) said those who were on oxygen support during hospitalisation for Covid-19 were mandated to visit post-Covid care centres once a month after their 14-day post- cure isolation period was over.

“But those who were asymptomatic need not necessarily have to visit unless they face any issues,” he said, adding that hospitals had been asked to apprise patients about the availability of Covid care centres in their areas during discharge.

On facilities available at post-Covid care centres, the official said, “A host of experts, right from physicians to radiologists, cardiologists, physiotherapists, yoga consultants, among others, will be made available for consultation based on patient needs. A history of all patients will be maintained, along with their progress report, so that we are able to keep a track of them in case of further complications.”