DOH tells dialysis patients to disclose COVID symptoms, treatment goes on

The Department of Health has called on dialysis patients to disclose their COVID-19 symptoms, if they ever have any, to their physicians, assuring them that they will still get their regular treatment even if they test positive for COVID-19.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire, in making the appeal, cited the situation in the early days of COVID-19 transmission in the Philippines when doctors and other health workers died because patients did not come clean of their COVID-19 symptoms.

“Huwag na po sana maulit iyong karanasan na iyon. Hindi po kailangan i-deny ang sintomas ng COVID-19 o kung may nararamdaman po sila because health workers know what to do,” Vergeire said in an online forum.

“Hindi po porket meron na silang COVID-19 symptoms ay hindi na sila magda-dialysis. Ang gagawin lang po, 'pag may sintomas [ng COVID-19], i-sa swab test kayo, and you will be isolated,” Vergeire added.

Vergeire noted that dialysis is a life saving procedure which will be administered to patients in need at all times, regardless if the patient has COVID-19 or not.

“May mga dialysis machines po para COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients kaya hindi niyo po kailangan itago ang sintomas [ng COVID-19] para po kayo ay makapagdialysis,” Vergeire said.

“Magkakaroon po kayo ng serbisyong ito kahit kayo po ang may COVID-19 symptoms,” Vergeire added.

The country has recorded 291,789 COVID-19 cases so far. Of this number, 230,643 recovered while 5,049 died.

The number of active cases is at 56,097. —LBG, GMA News