About 100,000 patients are waiting for a colonoscopy due to COVID-19, according to the president of the Association des gastro-enterologues du Québec (AGEQ).
This number is equivalent to the number of examinations that may have been performed by gastroenterologists from April to December 2020.
In fact, during this period, specialists were able to see only 65%
What worries the specialist more, however, are the patients who have symptoms but who prefer to stay at home rather than go to see a doctor.
“My biggest worry is the patients who are at home, who have symptoms and who are like ‘I can’t go bother the doctors, they’re too busy’ or ‘I can’t go to hospitals because ‘there is COVID, finally what I have is not that serious “”, argued the Dre Bélanger.
Several gastroenterologists have also observed that patients have more advanced stages of gastrointestinal diseases.
“Whether it’s cancer, whether it’s inflammatory bowel diseases, such as Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, patients have much more advanced diseases than before,” reported Dr. Bélanger. .
Even though delays are observed, gastroenterologists are able to see patients and perform follow-ups.
The president of the AGEQ therefore calls on Quebecers who have symptoms to go see their doctor.
“I would like these patients to come forward to their doctor so that we can get to know them and then put them in the path at least to receive care,” she said.
