Kazakhstan clinic launches specialised COVID-19 recovery programme

Rehabilitation After COVID-19: Insights from a Specialist at City Polyclinic No. 11

Dameli Berdibayeva, a rehabilitation physician at City Polyclinic No. 11, shared details about the post-COVID-19 rehabilitation services available at the facility.

According to the specialist, the clinic's rehabilitation center has been providing recovery support for patients who have had COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic.

Many who have recovered from the virus seek help at the polyclinic, reporting persistent symptoms such as shortness of breath after physical exertion, joint and kidney problems, heart issues, hair loss, and deteriorating vision. However, as widely known, the most common complication of COVID-19 is impaired lung function.

"Patients are referred to us by their primary care physicians or specialists after diagnostic tests," Berdibayeva explains. "Our rehabilitation center is equipped with kinesitherapy rooms featuring modern equipment, including gait training devices, passive joint mobilization tools, and stationary bikes. We also offer a range of physiotherapy treatments, such as laser therapy, magnetic therapy, electrotherapy, oxygen therapy, halotherapy, paraffin therapy, light therapy, and a dedicated massage room. The standard rehabilitation course lasts up to 14 days. Depending on medical indications and a referral from their primary physician, patients may also be directed to sanatorium-resort treatment through the planned hospitalization bureau."

Berdibayeva advises all patients who have recovered from COVID-19—as well as healthy individuals—to perform breathing exercises several times a day, starting with three-minute sessions and gradually increasing to 10 minutes daily.

"Breathing exercises improve lung ventilation and help reduce the risk of adhesions and mucus buildup in the lungs and bronchi," she notes. "However, it's crucial to remember that people with lung damage should avoid blowing up balloons, as this can cause further injury to already compromised lung tissue. Patients should also avoid sudden intense physical activity, such as going straight to the gym, as this may lead to vascular complications or kidney dysfunction."

The doctor's post-COVID recovery recommendations include regular outdoor walks, a protein-rich diet (with an emphasis on meat broths, vegetables, and fruits), continuing any prescribed baseline therapy for chronic conditions, quitting harmful habits, and taking vitamins B, C, and D.

Overall, the rehabilitation center at City Polyclinic No. 11 provides third-level rehabilitation care under Kazakhstan's Compulsory Social Health Insurance (CSHI) system.

The center provides rehabilitation support in three key areas:

— Cardiology and cardiac surgery, including post–myocardial infarction care and recovery after various cardiovascular procedures; — Traumatology and orthopedics, covering rehabilitation after injuries, surgeries, and major joint replacements, such as hip and knee arthroplasty; — Neurology and neurosurgery, specializing in recovery following acute cerebrovascular incidents (strokes) and neurosurgical operations.