Midlands TD criticises health service for not recognising long Covid

A midlands TD has criticised the HSE for not recognising long Covid as a condition and said that some people suffering from it were being told it was "all in their mind".

Speaking on the Dáil's first day back after the summer yesterday (Wednesday), Deputy Denis Naughten called on Health Minister Stephen Donnelly to address the issue without delay.

"We need to bring the Minister for Health before the House as a matter of urgency to find out why the HSE are so slow to recognise long Covid as a condition," said Deputy Naughten.

"It is estimated that there's somewhere around 35,000 people affected by long Covid, but over the past 18 months patients have found it next nigh to impossible to get doctors to believe them, even though this condition has been recognised by the World Health Organisation.

"The economic cost alone is in excess of €50 million, and growing, yet our health service is not even counting the numbers.

"For patients with post-viral chronic syndromes the most common referral by a physician is to the mental health services, telling them that it's all in their mind. This is not good enough, Taoiseach. We need to have this addressed immediately."

Responding to Deputy Naughten, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said there was "no issue with discussing long Covid" and he expected that the Health Minister would be doing so either in the Dáil or before an Oireachtas committee.

"We take the matter very seriously, by the way. I do not believe it is in anybody's head. It is a very serious issue that will be with us for some time to come," the Taoiseach said.

Deputy Naughten also received a written reply from the Health Minister on the same topic, which confirmed that there were no figures available for the number of people suffering from prolonged Covid-related symptoms in Ireland.

"The HSE is examining how it can model the possible numbers that will be affected, noting that this will take time as more evidence emerges," the Minister stated.

He pointed out that, because Covid-19 was a new disease, information about it was still emerging.

"It is recognised that persistent and prolonged symptoms can occur after acute Covid-19 infection in a proportion of patients, including in some patients who did not develop symptoms severe enough to require hospitalisation.

"Specific guidance on the treatment of 'Long Covid' is presently under development both here and internationally," stated the Minister.