The decision by the Madhya Pradesh health department asking its field staff to refer patients with 21 signs — anxiety, nausea, headache among others — to dedicated coronavirus treatment facilities has run into a controversy with the opposition Congress claiming that it would spread the virus further and add to the number of positive cases in the state.
In a letter dated May 15, Principal Secretary, Health, Faiz Ahmed Kidwai wrote to all collectors and chief medical and health officers. The letter stated that the coronavirus suspected and positive cases are not being admitted to dedicated Covid hospitals on the basis of their symptoms.
It also asked the doctors to refer the patients exhibiting 21 listed symptoms to dedicated coronavirus hospitals.
The principal secretary listed the 21 symptoms that also include the ones other than the regular symptoms such as fever, dry cough, breathlessness, and sore throat.
The symptoms are headache, muscle pain, cold, nausea and anxiety, cough with sputum, shivers, reduction in the ability to taste and smell, cramping in hands and feet, swelling in hands and feet, swelling in thigh muscles, localized pain, issues in walking, chest pain, redness and blackening of the skin, bluishness and blackening of the skin, shoulder pain and weakness in hands and feet.
Interestingly, saans mein taqleef (a problem in breathing) is listed as the symptom number 3 and saans lene main taqleef hona (again, the problem in breathing) is also listed as symptom number 21.
It is not specified where the list of symptoms has been taken from. While at most places the word ‘refer’ has been used, the word ‘admit’ has been used in the subject line of the letter which made Congress question the decision.
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