– Ideally, I would like someone to come here to start training in the method as soon as possible. That’s what Helena Liira says to news. She leads an EU-funded research project on long-covid. In addition, he is a professor at Helsinki University Hospital. The Finnish professor says there is still much we don’t know about the after-effects of covid. And about how this should be handled. – But the Norwegian system can document particularly good results. Professor Helena Liira Photo: private – We wouldn’t be healthy without Recently, the results were published in a recognized scientific journal. There, Grete Alræk Iversen is part of the statistics. After she was infected at work for Doctors Without Borders in Afghanistan, she was unable to recover. Iversen was one of the first to participate in the treatment program run by Helse Bergen. Grete Alræk Iversen returned to full-time work after days of intensive treatment Photo: Oddgeir Øystese / news – I noticed improvement quite quickly. I fear that I would still be on sick leave if I hadn’t been allowed to take part in this scheme. At the treatment site in Hardanger, the patients receive intensive follow-up over three days, and are followed up digitally for a year afterwards. The treatment is interdisciplinary and is adapted to the specific challenges each individual struggles with. – We ensure that each individual patient receives a tailor-made adaptation. For some it may be to adjust down the training, for others it may be to become more active, some may need help with sleep patterns, and for some it is about nutrition, says Bente Frisk, project manager in the treatment scheme. Virtually everyone who has been able to participate in the offer has similar positive experiences to Iversen. She is a doctor herself, and says she hopes the treatment will be an offer for everyone who struggles with the after-effects of covid. Long covid What are the late effects of covid-19? For most people, covid-19 is a mild and transitory illness, but some suffer persistent problems beyond the acute phase. Such long-lasting symptoms have previously been reported after a number of other infections, and it is therefore not surprising that some people experience late effects after covid-19. Common symptoms Among people with covid-19 who were not admitted to hospital, the most commonly reported symptoms 6-12 months after the illness are: Impaired memory Altered sense of taste and/or smell Fatigue/tiredness Impaired ability to think and concentrate (so-called ” brain fog”) Heavy breathing Source: FHI Interest from several countries In an office at Haukeland in Bergen, it’s busy days for Bente Frisk and Marte Jürgensen. The two feel that more and more people are noticing the scheme they have helped develop. – Many people get in touch to find out more. They want training and wonder how they can put it to use. Frisk says they are constantly being asked to present the method at various conferences around the world. There is already interest in using the method from various healthcare companies in Norway, and from countries such as Finland, England and France. Senior doctor at the psychiatric clinic at HUS, Marte Jürgensen, together with project manager and physiotherapist Bente Frisk at HVL. Photo: Oddgeir Øystese / news Jürgensen has helped further develop the concentrated treatment which was originally intended for the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder, OCD. She believes it is possible to quickly export the treatment plan for long-covid to several countries. – I think that other professional environments can clearly get the same results. But that depends on getting good training. Uncertain future Despite the international attention, it is not certain that the scheme has a future here in Norway. In January, Helse Bergen stopped the project for financial reasons. They had to put it on hold while many were on a waiting list to participate. Now they are in a tender process to perhaps be able to start up again. That is why Jürgensen is cautious when news asks what she thinks about the future and the investment from the Norwegian healthcare system. – We have great faith and great hope that this will be available again. Both through Helse i Hardanger and in other health initiatives. And if not in Norway, perhaps the Norwegian-developed method will become common outside our borders.
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Great interest in Norwegian treatment of long-covid, but funding is in the blue – news Vestland
