Covid-19 is not a serious disease: AIIMS chief Dr Randeep Guleria

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, Apr 23 2020: All India Institute of Medical Science Director Dr Randeep Guleria on Thursday said that Covid-19 is not a serious disease. Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, Dr Randeep Guleria said that 90 to 95 per cent patients of Covid-19 recover, thus, "we have to remember that this is a disease which is not that serious", IndiaToday reported.

 

His statement came in context with the rising stigma in connection with the Covid-19 treatment in our country.

Dr Randeep Guleria said that a lot of patients were facing undue stigma linked to the disease and its treatment, which needs to end.

"It (stigma) is actually causing an increase in morbidity and mortality. Because of the stigma that is happening many patients who have Covid-19 or flu-like symptoms are not coming to health care facilities," Dr Randeep Guleria said.

"If we have that stigma and we don’t come forward we may land up in a situation where because of our delay in treatment we have higher mortality," he said.

The AIIMS director said that majority of the Covid-19 patients only require supportive treatment. "Only around 15 per cent patients require oxygen therapy along with drugs," he said.

Earlier, at a press conference senior ICMR official Dr R Gangakhedkar had said that around 80 per cent Covid-19 patients exhibit no or mild symptoms, while 15 per cent turn severe and five per cent critical.

During Thursday’s presser, AIIMS chief Dr Randeep Guleria said that the hospitals in India are trying various drugs and new vaccines and medicines are being tracked. He also said that India has also started trying convalescent plasma as a treatment plan for Covid-19 patients.
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"At various centres, we’ve started using convalescent plasma that is the blood of Covid-19 patients who have recovered. A large number of patients who have become alright have come forward and volunteered to donate their blood. It shows the commitment our citizens have when it comes to fighting Covid-19," Dr Guleria said.