Covid 19 Deaths Higher Than Reported Says Activist

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 Dr Amar Singh estimates that more than 50,000 Malaysians may have died, with 'long Covid' continuing to be a health problem.
Health ministry data up to October 2022 shows that a total of 36,387 Malaysians had died from Covid-19. (Bernama pic)PETALING JAYA: The Covid-19 pandemic took a bigger toll on Malaysians than officially reported, says paediatrician and social activist Dr Amar Singh, who said the problem of “long Covid” remains serious and unresolved
Amar estimated that more than 50,000 people may have died from Covid-19 in Malaysia, exceeding official figures, as deaths from long Covid and suicide were not included in the government’s count.
Available health ministry data shows that a total of 36,387 Malaysians had died from Covid-19 up to October 2022.
Amar, speaking at a panel discussion today on a book on Covid-19, said: “Long Covid remains serious and unresolved. I know of specialists, teachers, journalists and children who can no longer work or study effectively.”
Long Covid is a group of health problems persisting or developing after an initial Covid-19 infection, lasting up to years.
Amar said children and the disabled, along with the elderly, poor and chronically ill, were among the hardest hit during the pandemic.
He said children infected with Covid-19 early may face earlier onset of diseases such as dementia and diabetes. He said mental health among teenagers had worsened and birth rates had fallen by 10%.
Amar said the pandemic also exposed major weaknesses in Malaysia’s healthcare, education and social services. He said the government discouraged criticism of the national health system, which he said had been “decaying for decades”.
“We were not allowed to speak publicly about it. We were told to manage with what we have,” he said.
The panel discussion was held at the launch of the book “Crisis and Community: Covid-19 in Malaysia”, a collection of essays highlighting one of the worst crises Malaysia has endured.
Failure to meet women’s needs
At the forum, virologist and policy analyst Dr Lyana Khairuddin called for more inclusive health research on the needs of women.
She said the lack of data on vaccine side effects on menstruation and the impact of long Covid on women reflected a broader failure to include gender in medical studies.
“There’s just no research on women and what women face,” she said.
Citing the work of AstraZeneca vaccine developers Sarah Gilbert and Catherine Green, Lyana said inclusive, well-funded research leads to real breakthroughs.
She said public health strategies must include gender representation and regional research investment. - FMT

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