COVID-19 Stigma Far More Dangerous Than Disease, Says AIIMS Director | News Room Odisha

COVID-19 Stigma Far More Dangerous Than Disease, Says AIIMS Director

New Delhi: Stigmatization of COVID-19 is far more dangerous than the disease, said All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) Director Dr Randeep Guleria on Thursday.

Addressing a press conference, Dr Randeep Guleria, who is part of the Centre’s core group of experts, said that the COVID-19 is not so serious, but it has been stigmatized.

Stigmatization of coronavirus patients is discouraging people from coming forward for testing at an early stage and a delay in treatment may lead to higher mortality, he said.

While 90-95 per cent patients of COVID-19 recover, the mortality rate from the disease is rising due to the stigma attached to the disease, he added.

Because of the stigma that is happening many patients who have Covid-19 or flu-like symptoms are not coming to health care facilities, the AIIMS director stated.

“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.

He further said that patients are currently facing a lot of challenges and stigma which is not justified.

Majority of the patients who have recovered from COVID-19 are “symbols of hope and victory”, he added.

The early diagnosis is the key to fight the deadly virus, he stressed.

AIIMS