For Md Ariful Islam, a 38-year-old government service holder, the woes he had developed during his COVID-19 infection continued to take a toll on his daily life even a year after he tested negative.

Despite taking enough rest, the woes were still tormenting him until he came across the clinic of Suoxi Healthcare Limited, Ariful Islam said.

The clinic provides patients with various TCM (traditional Chinese medicine) treatments including acupuncture and tuina, or Chinese therapeutic massage, in the Bangladesh capital of Dhaka. 

"I received here seven therapies of the Chinese traditional medicine acupuncture. I feel much better now," he said. 

Kawsar Ali Sardar, 48, another patient, said he was infected with the coronavirus about 10 months ago. 

"After 25 days of treatment, finally I got a negative result for COVID-19," said Ali Sardar. However, some time later he started to suffer from severe headache and sleeping disorder, he noted. 

"I have been feeling much better since taking Chinese therapy. My headaches have decreased and have a good night's sleep," he said. "I'm taking treatment here. I have been asked to take eight therapies. Already I have been given three therapies." 

Ali Sardar said the clinic offered free treatment on the occasion of the May Day holiday, also known as International Workers' Day. 

"So I came here and took the therapy," he said. 

SM Shahidul Islam is a TCM specialist doctor who graduated from Tongji Medical University in Wuhan, China in the 1990s. The school became part of the Huazhong University of Science and Technology in 2000. 

"After getting my MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery) degree, I got training on traditional Chinese medicine, especially on acupuncture in China," he said. 

Suoxi Healthcare Limited organized a free medical camp during the May Day holiday with a topic related to Post COVID Syndrome, the doctor said. 

Shahidul Islam said that a study found that among those who have recovered from COVID-19, about 63 percent suffer from chronic fatigue syndrome, 26 percent suffer from sleep disturbances, and another 23 percent have mental depression or anxiety. 

Specialists can help patients recover from post-COVID-19 conditions through TCM treatment, Shahidul Islam said, adding that TCM is very helpful for patients suffering from post-COVID woes. 

The May Day free medical camp had about 30 post-COVID patients, nine of whom "have already received treatment here," according to Shahidul Islam.