Management

Clinical Practice Guideline (CPG)

The Covid-19 or Coronavirus disease spread is globally staring from Wuhan, China to Europe, Asia, Africa and Middle-East. As we are facing this pandemic, the Ministry of Health – Sri Lanka in collaboration with Ceylon College of Physicians and Coordinated by Epidemiology Unit have put forward a Clinical Practice Guideline (CPG) to manage this crisis situation within the country without further delay on clinical management of COVID -19 patients.

Experience from Wuhan the capital city of Hubei province in central China, the epicenter of this epidemic where the majority of patients and deaths reported was the basis of this guideline. Preliminary evidence from COVID -19 cases suggest that transmission during the early phase of illness also seems to contribute to overall transmission dynamics; therefore, isolation of more severely ill patients at the time of presentation to health-care facilities alone will not be adequate. As the epidemic unfolds, it has become apparent that mild cases are common in COVID-19 epidemic. Patients with mild disease manifestations will be missed unless a more sensitive surveillance system is put in place, and these patients might spread the disease silently, similar to influenza. However, more critical and life-threatening disease has been observed among old age groups especially with co-morbidities. Therefore, early case detection, prompt isolation of ill people, appropriate and timely management of patients, comprehensive contract tracing and immediate quarantine of all possible contacts will minimize widespread community transmission and will help to mitigate any major outbreak situation and associated mortality. This provisional CPG will be useful in early detection and management of suspected and confirmed cases of COVID- 19, and to develop the capacity of the health sector to be prepared for any eventuality with suspected and confirmed COVID-19 outbreaks.

Source

Source: Sri Lanka Medical Association (SMAL) & Ministry of Health. Provisional Clinical Practice Guidelines on COVID-19 suspected and confirmed patients. Updated March 2020. Available from: https://slma.lk/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/COVID-19-CPG_MARCH-2020-MoH-SL.pdf