Govt health officials play ping-pong over post-Covid-19 ailments

Several people have complained of the post-Covid issues such as fatigue, weakness, muscle pains

The Union Health Ministry and Family Welfare department and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) are playing ping-pong over information regarding post-Covid-19 complications, an RTI activist has alleged.

“Amid global concerns over post-or long-Covid issues plaguing the patients, we sought information on the status in India,” said NatConnect Foundation Director B N Kumar, who had filed the RTI application.

In a press statement, Kumar said the Department of Health Research under the Union health ministry gave an ambiguous response saying: “The ICMR had launched a call for proposals for research on various post-Covid complications, such as neurological, cardiac, respiratory, sleep disorders, immune system and multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C)”.

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The department then said there was no other response, and sent the query to the ICMR for further action. The ICMR, on its part, sent it back to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, which in turn referred it to ICMR, again.

The ICMR also informed NatConnect that the query was sent to MoHFW, Kumar explained the chain of e-mails and RTI responses. Irked by this passing-the-buck, NatConnect lodged a complaint with the Central Information Commission (CIC) and the Union health ministry.

“It is sad that top officials responsible for the health of the nation do not show any signs of seriousness about the post-Covid-19 complications,” Kumar rued.

According to Kumar, as per the World Health Organization data, while most people who develop Covid-19 fully recover, it is estimated that 10-20 per cent develop a variety of mid- and long-term effects like fatigue, breathlessness, and cognitive dysfunction such as confusion, forgetfulness, or a lack of mental focus and clarity.

Long Covid can also directly and indirectly affect mental health. Prolonged suffering and distress due to long Covid can impact psychological well-being. These symptoms might persist from the time of the initial illness or develop after recovery. They can come and go or recur over time. The condition can affect a person’s ability to perform daily activities such as work or household chores.

According to Dr Sachin Gangawane, who treated several Covid-19 patients at Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation’s Dedicated Covid Care Centre at Vashi, several people complained of the post-Covid issues such as fatigue, weakness, muscle pains, sweating, loss of taste, sleep problems and even anxiety and depression.