KUALA LUMPUR, August 18 – As many as 31,390 patients discharged from hospital due to Covid-19 have been given follow-up appointments by the Ministry of Health (MOH) to monitor and treat long Covid symptoms.
Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin told Subang MP Wong Chen, in a written parliamentary reply on July 25, that MOH has taken steps to ensure that long Covid patients have access to treatment nationwide.
Khairy said Covid-19 patients who have been discharged from MOH facilities will receive a follow-up appointment, depending on their final diagnosis, to better monitor their post-Covid conditions and ensure access to long Covid treatment.
Patients suffering from chronic diseases such as high blood pressure and diabetes will be prioritised and asked to continue with their treatment at their usual clinics. If these patients are not given follow-up treatments, they will be referred to a specialist, Khairy said.
Former Covid-19 patients can also seek treatment at any public or private health facility via walk in if they develop any symptoms. For patients with worsening symptoms that require immediate treatment, they will be admitted to a hospital for further treatment.
The Ministry of Health (MOH) has also published the Post Covid-19 Management Protocol in July 2021 to manage long Covid more effectively in the long run, Khairy said. The guideline covers various disciplines and specialities, including primary health, infectious diseases, internal medicine, nephrology, cardiology, respiratory, obstetrics, paediatrics, psychiatry and rehabilitation medicine.
“The MOH will continue to monitor and provide treatment for long Covid patients who develop symptoms, based on those guidelines, and we will ensure medical access is granted to this group,” Khairy said.
