The pandemic has affected the Indore district thehardest in Madhya Pradesh. Over 1,100 patients are beingtreated for virus infection at the moment.
"The feeling of loneliness during hospitalizationcreates negativity among COVID-19 patients who are at the riskof slipping into depression," said Divisional CommissionerAkash Tripathi.
"We are going to provide TV sets and video-callingfacility in COVID-19 wards of every government and privatehospital in the district," he said.
Private companies will also be roped in to providethese facilities under the Corporate Social Responsibility(CSR) scheme, he added.
"We will give one tablet with high speed Wi-Ficonnection in each COVID-19 ward. Patients will be able tomake video calls to their families using them," Tripathi said.
The decision came following alleged suicide of a 78-year-old man at the city's Maharaja Tukojirao Holkar Hospital.
The man, admitted on suspicion of having contractedvirus, jumped from his fourth floor ward to death on Wednesdaymorning. Admitted 19 days earlier, he had tested negative forvirus.
The district has recorded 2,378 coronavirus cases intotal, including 99 who died and more than 1,100 patients whorecovered. HWP ADUKRK KRK