Dáil debates

Tuesday, 20 September 2022

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions

 

2:30 pm

Photo of Micheál MartinMicheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising a very important issue that is affecting quite a number of people. I have tremendous sympathy for those suffering from long Covid. It is one of the reasons that during the height of Covid, when we had the lockdown, I was insistent on taking strong measures. It was not just about mortality. This was a deadly disease. When a person got Covid, it could lead to long Covid and affect a person's health and quality of life for quite a long time afterwards. People were saying we could get by, but this was a disease we had to try avoid people getting, at least, until vaccination arrived. Vaccination has prevented the disease from impacting more severely on people than was the case prior to people becoming vaccinated. Vaccination was the game changer.

That said, there is an interim model of care, as the Deputy described, to provide long Covid services nationally. We want to see a more uniform framework. Considerable research is going on. In the nature of medical research, we will need more research, not just on identifying the features or, indeed, the duration of long Covid and the length of time it will impact on a person. Presumably, the research will also have to look at the model of care. If someone develops cardiac or respiratory issues and there is a long Covid centre in a hospital, ideally, the specialists in the centre of excellence for respiratory issues should then perhaps have to deal with the person's issues. It will at some stage need an integrated, multidisciplinary approach to some of the issues that manifest themselves as a result of long Covid. I will follow up on the matter. The Deputy is correct on the cognitive and neurological implications of long Covid. I do not believe they are disputed. We will follow up on that.

There are long Covid clinics in St. Vincent's Hospital, Beaumont Hospital, University Hospital Galway and, I think, in Cork University Hospital. There are post-acute Covid clinics in Galway and in Connolly Hospital, Blanchardstown. Tallaght University and St. James' hospitals are operating a combined post-acute and long Covid clinic. There is a tertiary neurocognitive clinic in St. James' Hospital, led by a consultant neurologist with a background in neurocognitive disorders, which is accepting referrals from long Covid clinics throughout the country.

We are happy to work with the Oireachtas and the Joint Committee on Health on this. I do not dispute the issues he is raising. They are very serious issues. In the forthcoming health budget, we wish to see whether we can increase the level of resources available, specifically, in a ring-fenced way, for long Covid. Approximately €2.2 million has been allocated so far. An epidemiological survey is being planned that would provide insight into the prevalence of long Covid in the population.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.