Mumbai: Experts flag post-pandemic health issues in youths

Dr Rahul Pandit, Dr Sanjay Oak, Suresh Kakani and Sumitra DebRoy at the launch of the book ‘Mumbai Fights Back’

The rise in post-pandemic health issues among people is a serious concern that was raised by health experts in a panel discussion on Thursday. The discussion was organised on the book 'Mumbai Fights Back' co-authored by former Additional Municipal Commissioner Suresh Kakani with journalist Sumitra DebRoy. Dr Sanjay Oak, president, Maharashtra Covid Task Force and its member Dr Rahul Pandit were part of it.

The trio also shed light on their experiences of the Covid-19 period. Dr Oak discussed the incidents of increasing diseases in youth post Covid-19 and said there is a need for such healthcare facilities in both the private and public sectors. He also spoke on the increasing incidents of heart attack among the youth, rising need for dialysis among people, and the increasing graph of diabetes and hip surgery cases.

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He said, "I must clarify I am not linking this to Covid-19 and its vaccination. A study is necessary to find why diseases were increasing." He further added that the government has followed every suggestion and protocol given by the task force to control Covid. He said that the members of the task force used to monitor all the activities happening not only in the country but also abroad, and directed the further strategy. Dr Pandit said that during the pandemic the mental health aspect was completely overlooked but now as the cases were declining it is necessary to start looking at mental health.

Dr Pandit said that fighting the Covid virus in a densely populated metropolis like Mumbai was a huge challenge. "However, due to the work done day and night by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) health and medical system, and by the private sector's medical system in coordination with the public sector, Mumbai's fight against Covid was successful. But there is a need for a detailed study of post-Covid complications."

Kakani said, "Besides Covid, we must look at which other diseases can come up and a study has to be done to find the reasons behind this. There is also a need for the integration and coordination of primary, secondary, and tertiary health care. If any new diseases emerge and there is a new treatment protocol or any change in the existing protocol, then it should be conveyed to a primary health care facility too, to ensure uniformity in treatment. The burden will then be less on tertiary health care, as the same can be managed at a primary level too."