133 Molesworth Street
PO Box 5013
Wellington 6140
New Zealand
T+64 4 496 2000
6 June 2024
Dan
By email: [FYI request #26538 email]
Ref:
H2024041125
Tēnā koe Dan
Response to your request for official information
Thank you for your follow up request under the Of icial Information Act 1982 (the Act) to the
Ministry of Health – Manatū Hauora (the Ministry) on 8 May 2024 for information regarding Long
Covid. Each part of your request is answered below.
If no Government department or agency is currently collating any statistics on Long Covid
then how can these statements in your response be carried out/justified:
1) "The Ministry continues to assess the impact of Long COVID via funded research"
The Ministry of Health is currently in the process of collating evidence on the impact of Long
COVID via the research it has funded.
2) "In August 2022, the Ministry introduced new clinical codes for long COVID"
The Ministry has introduced ICD-10 codes for post COVID-19 condition.
3) "we released the first long COVID guidelines for health professionals, individuals and
those caring for people with long COVID"
The Ministry of Health last updated its Long Covid Programme webpage on 2 April 2024:
www.health.govt.nz/our-work/diseases-and-conditions/covid-19-novel-coronavirus/covid-19-
response-planning/long-covid-programme.
4) "The Ministry has recently commissioned a number of research projects looking at long
COVID"
The Ministry has currently commissioned two research projects focussed specifically on Long
COVID. One project focuses on long term health impact of COVID-19 in Waikato Hospital
cohort, and the other focuses on burden of long COVID in New Zealand. Brief overview of these
research projects can be found on the Long Covid webpage above.
It is not clear in your response who is funding this work but if it is taxpayers money then I,
as a taxpayer, would expect to know that there were statistics coming out of any research.
So my question then is, why is research taking place, government guidelines being
released, and new clinical codes being produced for something we do not know how
many people are suffering from?
The research wil help provide information and insights on determining how many people are
suffering from long COVID. It is important to note that in any new and emerging disease, such
as long COVID, research plays a critical role in helping us understand how many individuals
are/continue to be affected, are likely to suffer from it, and what the nature and scale of
interventions needed might be.
Why are these decisions being made without any statistics to justify these actions?
Statistics based on international research help us understand that there is an emerging
condition and that it appears to be impacting several individuals. Where the impact appears to
be considerable, as it does in the case of long COVID, New Zealand specific data are needed to
determine if any and the nature of actions needed.
I trust this information fulfils your request. If you wish to discuss any aspect of your request with
us, including this decision, please feel free to contact the OIA Services Team on:
[email address].
Under section 28(3) of the Act, you have the right to ask the Ombudsman to review any
decisions made under this request. The Ombudsman may be contacted by email at:
[email address] or by calling 0800 802 602.
Please note that this response, with your personal details removed, may be published on the
Manatū Hauora website at:
www.health.govt.nz/about-ministry/information-releases/responses-
official-information-act-requests.
Nāku noa, nā
Dr Sayali Pendharkar
Acting Chief Science Advisor
Evidence, Research and Innovation
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