To:

- Hospitals affiliated to Ministry of Health;
- Health Departments of provinces and central-affiliated cities;
- Health authorities of ministries and central governments.

Amidst COVID-19 and the increase of COVID-19 cases in all provinces and cities, some people exhibit prolonged symptoms and/or signs that affect their health and/or working capacity and thus need to have a health check-up. In order to effectively implement medical examination and treatment for people who have recovered from COVID-19, the Ministry of Health hereby orders:

1. Directors of Health Departments of provinces and central-affiliated cities, heads of entities affiliated to the Ministry of Health, and health authorities of ministries and central governments to organize implementation of the followings:

a) Direct medical examination and treatment establishments to:

- Provide medical examination and treatment for adults and children who have been infected and recovered from COVID-19 in accordance with professional guidelines promulgated by the Ministry of Health such as the Guidelines on diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19, which guides rehabilitation for COVID-19 patients discharged from hospitals and mental health care; Guidelines on rehabilitation following COVID-19 infection, etc.

- Provide medical examination and treatment for people experiencing symptoms or signs following COVID-19 infection (hereinafter referred to as “post COVID-19”) and provide general medical examination and treatment within professional departments of the establishments when patients exhibit symptoms appropriate to the professional departments; prevent excessive prescription.

- Communication and advertisement affairs in medical examination and treatment and post COVID-19 examination must comply with Circular No. 09/2015/TT-BYT dated May 25, 2015 of Ministry of Health on confirmation of advertisement contents for special products, goods, and services under management of Ministry of Health.

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b) Direct communication authorities and medical examination and treatment establishments to increase communication and increase awareness of the general public regarding post COVID-19 symptoms, signs, the time in which people should get medical examination and treatment in order to prevent confusion among the general public, avoid excessive prescription in medical examination and treatment establishments. Primary details to be communicated include:

- Following COVID-19 infection, some people having slow recovery need to have their health monitored.

- Post COVID-19 symptoms occur in people previously having SARS-CoV-2 infection. These post COVID-19 symptoms develop either during or following a COVID-19 infection, continue for 12 weeks, and cannot be explained by an alternative diagnosis (according to World Health Organization and National Institute for Health and Care Excellence - United Kingdom).

- Post COVID-19 symptoms are vast with up to 203 different symptoms which can occur after a patient has recovered from COVID-19, or linger from the beginning of a COVID-19 infection, or reappear. The most common symptoms include tiredness, dyspnea, musculoskeletal pain, reduced or lost sense of taste or smell, cognitive decline, sleep disorder, coughing, chest paint, etc.

- It is recommended that a person gets a health check-up if his/her health is deteriorated over a long period of time, working capacity or social life is affected as a result of post COVID-19 symptoms.

- General and field-specific medical examination and treatment establishments shall provide post COVID-19 medical examination and treatment within the licensed fields of operation.

- Do not use medicine with unclear origin, or medicine which is not approved for market authorization, or folk medicine or unofficial information sources for treatment purposes.

- Rely on national and international recommendations, guidance, and reliable scientific proof to implement other communication contents.

2. Assign Department of Medical Service Administration, Inspectorate of Ministry of Health, Health Departments of provinces and cities, health authorities of ministries and central governments shall increase inspection and supervision of affiliated medical examination and treatment establishments and private medical establishments in terms of professional operation, information, and medical examination and treatment advertisement in order to promptly deal with difficulties, rectify, and take actions.

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For your implementation./.

PP. MINISTER
DEPUTY MINISTER




Nguyen Truong Son