Not-for-profit centres help treat post-covid patients
GHAZIABAD: Honey Garg, a Ghaziabad resident, spent about ₹4.25 lakh for his Covid-19 treatment at a private hospital and tested negative on May 20. Initially, his oxygen levels were low, and the issue continued even after he got discharged. Garg said that with limited finances available, he arrived at a Covid care centre run by an NGO at a college in Mohan Nagar, and is now getting proper care for free for the past five days.
During the second Covid wave, some non-government organisations (NGOS) have pitched in with free-of-cost services for Covid-19 patients. The centre at Mohan Nagar, run by NGO Khalsa Help International, has ensured regular oxygen supply, food, medicines and Covid care taken up by a team of doctors.
“The centre has come as a blessing for me after I spent most of my savings during Covid treatment for about 10 days. Still after discharge, I required oxygen and I came to know about this centre. The staff here are taking good care of my health,” Garg, who has a small computer repair business, said.
Saroj Bhatia’s retired husband is also one of the patients at the centre and requires regular oxygen supply. “My husband is getting all the facilities here, besides regular oxygen supply. He had tested positive for Covid and later turned negative. But getting oxygen was a major issue we faced,” she said.
Harminder Singh Kohli, in-charge of the Mohan Nagar centre with 100 beds, said that the facility started May 11 and discharged more than 150 patients so far. “Forty patients are still admitted to Covid and non-covid wards. We also plan to increase the beds. We have a team of doctors and volunteers who take care of patients, and everything is free. We have even provided staying facility for family members of patients who come from outside Ghaziabad,” Kohli said.
At another similar centre at a school in Nehru Nagar, which was initiated by the organisation, Sewa Bharti, on May 25, 28-year-old Priyanka Mittal is staying with her husband who got discharged from hospital after 15 days of treatment.
“His oxygen level was low even after the discharge from the hospital. So, we came here and found that all health-care facilities, including oxygen, are available for free. I, along with my husband, am staying here since May 20,” Mittal said.
Another family from Niwari is also staying at the centre as their 55-year-old member is admitted there.
“My mother-in-law was having frequent complaint of fever and we took consultations from several doctors. We got her admitted to a private hospital and we ended paying up Rs 18,000 for her one-night stay. Then we were told to arrange for oxygen,” said Reshma Singh, a resident of Niwari at Modinagar in Ghaziabad.
“Thereafter, we heard about the Nehru Nagar centre and brought her here. Now, we are relieved of any financial burden. The centre has also given us one room to stay, along with other facilities for free,” she added.
The Nehru Nagar centre’s assistant in-charge Anuj Puri said that the centre has 100 beds and has all health-care facilities at par with government’s L1 category hospitals.
“About 76 patients at the centre have recovered so far. We have a provision of 50 beds equipped with oxygen supply. A team of doctors is available round the clock. We have also made proper arrangements of rooms for families who wish to stay,” he added.
Chief medical officer Dr NK Gupta said that both the centres have come in handy for patients when Covid cases were coming in at a fast rate.
“Both centres have facilities comparable to L1 category hospitals and what is more overwhelming is that all facilities are free-of-cost, including oxygen, medicines and treatment. These centres are also used for patients who have recovered but have no separate room at home for home isolation. This year we did not open L1 centres as infection was severe and L2/L3 category health-care hospitals were primarily used,” he said.