VIJAYAWADA: Last week, a 50-year-old woman jumped to death from the King George Hospital building in Visakhapatnam, where she was undergoing treatment for Covid-19. She reportedly took the extreme step due to depression over her condition and fear of uncertain future. Similar cases of people resorting to the extreme step unable to overcome their fear of Covid-19 and possible post-Covid complications were reported in the State.
It is suspected that several such cases might have gone unreported. Psychologists and psychiatrists opine that it is high time for the State to revive counselling for Covid patients to create confidence among them. Though Covid counselling was provided during the first wave, it is yet to be revived during the second wave.
“Psychological and psychiatric counselling in cases of those showing suicidal tendencies is recommended. We did the same for five months during the Covid first wave. I myself along with another senior had offered our services voluntarily. We are ready to extend our services virtually now,” TS Rao, rehabilitation psychologist and vice-president of National Rehabilitation Psychologists Association, told TNIE. There are people who are afraid of getting vaccinated fearing possible side effects and they need counselling, he said.
Counselling for Covid patients mooted
It is very important for the State government, which is doing a good job of covering a large section of people under the vaccination programme, to allay their fears by promoting Covid awareness in a big way, he said.When contacted by TNIE, Dr Arja Srikanth, State Covid-19 Nodal Officer, said that they are already on the job. “Through the 104 call centre, we are providing psychological and psychiatric counselling.
Those who seek medical advice from the call centre are promptly connected to the medical expert,” he said and maintained that among 1,400 medical experts empanelled with the call centre, psychological counsellors are also present. He further explained that the situation in the first and the second wave of Covid is different. During the first wave, Covid Care Centres were set up and those isolated from their families were provided counselling both in physical form and telephonically.
“Now, our ANMs, ASHA workers and even village volunteers are trained in basic counselling and they are doing it while identifying the primary contacts. If there are any serious cases that need counselling from experts, they are alerting the higher authorities,” he elaborated. On the other hand, psychological and psychiatric counselling for Covid patients undergoing treatment in government hospitals are being contemplated by the district administrations.
Krishna District Collector A Md Imtiaz Ahmed, who took the initiative in appointing counsellors for allaying fears of Covid suspects at quarantine centres and hospitals last year, said a meeting will be convened soon with the interested psychologists to kick start the programme again.
Dr Pragya Mitra, Clinical Psychologist at Government Mental Health Hospital, Visakhapatnam, said, “The element of panic in both patients and public seems to be quite less now compared to the last time. With all facilities available, even patients are calm and concentrating on speedy recovery.” She further stated that anyone who wants to get counselling can directly go to the Government Mental Health Hospital as setting up a call centre is unlikely.