KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA - Media
OutReach - 16 February 2022 - The Health Ministry
of Malaysia recently
announced that long Covid-19 patients
will undergo medical
rehabilitation for extended period of time. Health Minister Khairy
Jamaluddin mentioned Daehan Putrajaya Rehabilitation Hospital as one of the private hospitals capable of providing
Long Covid rehab
in Malaysia.
Daehan recently treated 16 patients recovering from severe
Covid under the MOH decanting program. All of them required
oxygen supplement upon admission. After
2-8 weeks of rehabilitation, all of them
were discharged without the need of home oxygen therapy. 2 patients who
were on tracheostomy (breathing tubes) no longer require
them and 2 patients who were on tube feeding
can now eat normally.
The remarkable clinical outcome has surprised even the doctors
themselves. In the words of Dr Fazah Hanapiah,
President of Daehan Rehabilitation Hospital in Putrajaya, "Many had expected to leave the hospital disabled, requiring oxygen therapy
and assistance in all aspect
of life activities after Covid-19 infection. Some had prepared to purchase
wheelchairs and oxygen concentrators. However, with intensive post Covid rehabilitation, all our patients returned
home without the need of home oxygen therapy.
We want to provide the much-needed rehabilitation to all post Covid patients,
so they too be given the opportunity for a new
lease of life."
One of Daehan's
patients, Yvonne was a transfer
patient from Hospital
Sungai Buloh who underwent 6 sessions of intensive in-patient
rehabilitation with us. Initially falling prey to Covid-19 in August 2021, she was rendered bed-bound and even
struggled to breathe sitting up. Her poor cardiorespiratory endurance was coupled by her inability
to walk and her faster-than-normal heart rate – a known post Covid complication. Not only did she
require oxygen supplements, but her condition necessitated emergency management.
After just one month in Daehan's rehabilitative care, Yvonne is now able to carry
out activities of daily living successfully and has confidently
decided to return to work. During her time with us, her rehabilitation programme targeted pulmonary and cardiac
rehabilitation to improve cardiorespiratory function
and endurance levels; strengthening exercises for her daily motor functions and
gait training, all to equip her with skills for activities
of daily living.
"I want to thank a lot of them, especially the man there (pointing to one of the therapists). He is the one who advised me not to be scared... to stand
up and walk. [...] He said, 'You won't fall down one' [...] and held my hand as I walked. [...] So I [am very appreciative of
all of them]" said Sheryl. Initially, she was very afraid
of walking due to affected
muscle tissues and nerves following
her Covid infection. However, with the encouragement of the staff at Daehan, she
practiced walking in her room slowly such
that she was able to stand up and walk independently and confidently. "I think I can never forget you all because this was my first time in the ward and
[...] I am very happy to
know all of you all".
Currently, although she is under cardiology
follow-ups, she has since been discharged and no longer requires oxygen
supplements.
Another such
patient, Kent (not his real name) was admitted under Daehan's intensive daycare rehabilitation for a total of 6 sessions
following his infection
in mid-June 2021. 24 days of hospitalization after an ICU admission was
enough to witness a deterioration in his condition, and a developing infection in his epidural
space, which ultimately led to spinal cord compression. Upon admission to Daehan, he was paraplegic with
poor lower-body balance due to impacted nerves and muscle tissues.
Difficulties in breathing and urinary drainage were just some
of the problems he suffered from. However,
after undergoing rehabilitation at Daehan Rehabilitation Hospital Putrajaya, he
has now regained normal
lower limb strength
with better control
and posture and now has continent bladder
and bowel control. Although post-rehabilitation has witnessed a
dramatic improvement in his ambulation abilities,
he still relies on a walking frame for now. However, with continued efforts, he
is likely to be able to ambulate independently.
His successful progress is attributable to Daehan's iconic
rehabilitation efforts (illustrated above) The
marked improvement in both aforementioned patients' conditions hold testament to Daehan's rehabilitation efforts and speak of the
trust the patients place in the hands of Daehan's dedicated and well-trained staff.
As a part of the rehabilitation team, our therapists mentioned that planning
interventions for post-Covid patients not only broadens up their mind in working as an
interdisciplinary team but also empowers them to pass on their
motivation to the patients
so that they can regain
their well-being of life.
Rachel Paulus, Daehan's Head of
Physiotherapy, explains: "Patients have
told us how much we take certain
things for granted, like breathing, because they felt so helpless when they
have experienced the aftereffects of
COVID-19. We as therapists are privileged to be able to give their life back to
them and have learnt to never take
things for granted. As intensive as our sessions are, we always keep in mind that rehabilitation is not a sprint
where we aim to perform as much as we can in a single session, but a long distance run where we aim to achieve
sustainable and long-term results
together."
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