LONDON:
The World Health Organisation
says that about half of countries surveyed in a new analysis have had partial or complete disruption of services for people with high blood pressure and diabetes treatment during the
ongoing coronavirus pandemic
.
In a survey of 155 countries last month, the UN health agency found worrying problems in the provision of health care for people with non-communicable
diseases
, many of whom are at higher risk of severe complications from Covid-19.
“Many people who need treatment for diseases like cancer,
cardiovascular disease
and diabetes have not been receiving the health services and medicines they need since the Covid-19 pandemic began,” said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in a statement.
“It's vital that countries find innovative ways to ensure that essential services...continue even as they fight Covid-19.”
The survey also found that 42% of countries had interrupted services for cancer patients and 31% for heart emergencies.
In more than 90% of countries, health care staff had been partially or fully reassigned to pandemic duties.
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