Public healthcare programmes recover from lockdown fever

CHENNAI: Several public healthcare programmes, including National Leprosy Eradication Programme, Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme and vaccination programmes, have been affected in Tamil Nadu this year due to COVID-19, said top Health Department officials. Now, officials said, they are witnessing a gradual improvement in the number of patients visiting for consultations and follow-ups.

“As tuberculosis patients could not come to hospitals during the lockdown volunteers were deployed to reach out to them with the help of district coordinators for follow-up treatment and regular medication as part of the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme. After remaining at a standstill for about three months, the programme was channelised through the healthcare workers on ground,” an official said.

As part of National Vector Borne Diseases Control Programme, several awareness programmes and projects are undertaken every year, especially to prevent the outbreak of dengue and malaria. A senior official said with the focus now firmly on the pandemic cases and preventive efforts, the vector control measures has taken a backseat. However, the healthcare personnel have been instructed again to keep a track of vector borne disease cases, as Tamil Nadu reported 1,709 cases of dengue till July and 211 cases of malaria till June.

Similarly, after a spurt in leprosy cases with about 270 cases reported earlier this year, several programmes were planned since February, including reconstructive surgeries for the deformed patients. “For two months, the programmes were merged to work on pandemic prevention and control efforts. After that, several programmes were carried out through door-todoor campaigns. Eventually, the patients have started to show up at hospitals from where they could be channelised through the respective programmes. We are getting back to the usual process of follow-up and treatment,” said Dr Dharma Lingam, deputy director, National Leprosy Eradication Programme.

“None of the vaccination programmes were suspended fully, though some were functioning only partially. The vaccines under universal immunisation programme are now being administered as per their regular schedule after patients, especially infants, are being brought to hospitals for regular checkup. The programme was affected for about three months due to the lockdown,” said Dr Sekar Chinnusamy, State immunisation officer.

Though several patients are using e-Sanjeevani portal for online consultations, the follow-ups on specific healthcare programmes could not be done as per the procedures in hospitals.

When contacted, Dr K Senthil Raj, director, National Health Mission, said the medications and supplements were being supplied for two months on a single visit by healthcare workers.

“Surgeries, health camps and awareness drives were affected and many of them were carried through video-conferencing, e-consultation and other online programmes. Emergency surgery procedures were performed even during the lockdown. However, the large-scale programmes could not be conducted because it was risky for the patients. Now, the patients are reaching out to the hospitals for regular follow-up,” he said.

Surgeries, health camps and awareness drives were affected and many of them were carried through video-conferencing, e-consultation and other online programmes —Dr K Senthil Raj, Director, National Health Mission