Bengal to set up 40 additional Covid warrior clubs
KOLKATA: The Covid warrior club set up by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to provide counselling to Corona patients has been running successfully and the state government has now decided to set up additional 40 Covid warrior clubs in several districts.
The clubs will be set up in West Midnapore, Burdwan, East Midnapore, North and South 24-Parganas.
The decision was taken after it was found that the Corona warrior clubs have helped in counselling the Corona positive patient to a large extent as most of the positive patient needs steady mental support apart from the medical support.
Sources in the state Health department said that currently around 5,000 Corona positive patients have benefited from counselling. The Covid warrior club started from Behrampore and during the first phase 20 Corona recovered patients voluntarily decided to join the club to provide counselling to Corona positive patients. Over the period of time it was noticed that the number of club members increased to 500.
A senior officer of the state government said: "With the increase in demand for the Corona warrior club we have decided to increase the number of clubs in various districts. It was also noticed that those patients who suffered from mild symptoms and are admitted at various safe homes and in the state need counselling as immediately after they have been diagnosed with COVID-19, they suffer a mental set back and at that time the need of the hour is counselling. With proper counselling many patients have recovered and have get back to their normal routine."
Dr Yogiraj Ray, senior virologist associated with Beleghata ID Hospital said: "The social stigma attached to COVID-19 is immense rather than the recovery from the disease and it's a good initiative from the state government to increase the number of the COVID warrior club to provide counselling to the COVID19 positive patient."
It may be mentioned that the state government had set up the Covid warrior club in June from Berhampore and 50 COVID-19 recovered patients had voluntarily decided to provide counselling to patients at the time.
