The long-term consequences of COVID-19 represent a major challenge both for the people affected and for health systems around the world. These consequences, known as long-COVID, are characterized by persistent symptoms that affect the daily lives of patients and Can include shortness of breath, cognitive problems, depression, cardiac arrhythmias and more.
The study “Long-COVID in low- and middle-income countries: The hidden public health crisis” shows that between 10 and 45% of infected people worldwide suffer from long-COVID, which could affect at least 65 million people worldwide. However, one of the biggest challenges is the lack of standardized medical protocols and records to treat these patients, especially in developing countries.
Luis Felipe Reyes Velasco, head of the Unisabana Center for Translational Science, highlighted the difficulty of determining accurate symptomatology in patients with long COVID due to a lack of information. Symptoms include breathing difficulties, cognitive problems and psychiatric disorders, which can have a dramatic impact on patients’ quality of life and a country’s economy.
The study highlights the inequality gap in low- and middle-income countries, where a lack of data and knowledge has led to a lack of medical protocols and adequate treatment for patients with long-term consequences.
To address this public health crisis, scientists are proposing concrete solutions, such as creating multinational research and specialized treatment programs to better understand the needs of long COVID patients. They also propose the development of clinical practice guidelines based on training physicians, particularly in primary care, to identify and support affected patients.
This call to action aims to ensure that low-income countries are not left behind in dealing with the consequences of COVID-19 and are better prepared for future public health threats, thereby contributing to a more effective and equitable response to emergencies.
