No major post Covid complications reported : CM
Source: The Sangai Express / DIPR

Imphal, February 12 2021: On the eight day of the ongoing 12th session of the 11th Manipur Legislative Assembly today, Chief Minister N Biren Singh informed the House that there is no report of medical complications among people who have recovered from COVID-19 in the State.

Although there is no report of medical complications which led to death after recovery from COVID-19, the State Government has constituted an expert committee headed by the Health Director as Chairman to tackle any possible complications and other eventualities, Biren said in reply to a question raised by Congress MLA Okram Surjakumar.

Post-Covid complication management committees of RIMS and JNIMS were constituted and dedicated post-Covid wards would also be opened, if required, Biren said.

No major post Covid complications reported : CM

He also assured the House that the Government is fully committed to providing super-speciality services wherever necessary.

However, Surjakumar remarked that the response given by the State Government through the Health Department to the post Covid complications seems to be not serious enough.

A study carried out by the Lancaster University, UK and the Office of Statistics found that one out of eight people who have recovered from COVID-19 suffers medical complications and dies within five months.

29.4 per cent of 47,780 COVID-19 patients who have been discharged from hospitals following recovery are re-admitted to hospitals within 140 days and 12.3 per cent of them die, Surjakumar said.

Maintaining that it has not yet been established what exactly are post Covid complications, the Congress MLA sought data, if there is any, about people who have died due to post Covid complications in the State.

Saying that post Covid complications are seen and dealt with utmost seriousness in neighbouring Assam, Surjakumar quoted Assam Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma as saying that post Covid deaths are more worrisome.

"I have personally experienced it.

It was said that the death of two ex-MLAs was due to post Covid complications.

One senior colleague (sitting MLA) has also been undergoing treatment in a hospital for two/three months.

Doctors have been advising the senior colleague to be very careful as there is possibility of emergence of post Covid complications", Surjakumar said.

He then urged the Government to take the issue of post Covid medical complications very seriously and direct the department concerned to collect all relevant data.

Asking if the Government is keeping its assurance to manage post Covid complications, Surjakumar further asked how many post Covid wards have been opened and if there is any budgetary provision for the same.

Chief Minister N Biren maintained that there is no record of re-admission of Covid recovered patients to hospitals as there was no information about it.

Nonetheless post Covid management committee was constituted anticipating medical problems after recovery from the pandemic, Biren claimed.

In addition to RIMS and JNIMS, private hospitals would also be supervised.

Even if there are no separate wards or beds, the same would be provided immediately if any one is suffering from post Covid complications.

The management committee would be instructed to look into the matter with due seriousness, the Chief Minister added.