The poll (which was conducted among 40 general practitioners in May) compared the current number of consultations to previous years, which shows a worrying trend that could be putting thousands of lives at risk.

Dr Anna-Marie Grebe (medical consultant) said that while many with minor ailments may be staying away as a result of the lockdown, the poll shows that even those with life-threatening illnesses are forgoing regular check-ups.

Apart from a general waning in patient consultations, cardiology consultations too have plummeted by 90%. Grebe stresses that while the pandemic must not be taken lightly, we must not lose sight of the 1.13 billion people with hypertension worldwide and the 10 million people that die every year from hypertension-related conditions such as stroke, heart failure and renal failure.

“Covid-19 cases and deaths are growing, and we encourage patients to follow the proper safety protocol, but patients must not neglect monitoring and treatment of hypertension and its complications,” she said.

She warned that if we assume that the prevalence for heart attacks and strokes have remained unchanged, the rapid decline in consultations indicate that many may simply be too scared to go for their regular check-ups out of fear of contracting Covid-19. Some GPs have reported patients suffering fatal heart attacks as a result of opting to remain at home rather than to seek medical attention early on. Doctors fear that should the troubling trend go unchecked, many more could suffer the same fate.

Dr Grebe has urged patients with chronic illnesses, such as heart disease, hypertension and diabetes to seek immediate care if they experience any symptoms. The trouble with patients who have high blood pressure, is that they often have no symptoms, which is why it is referred to as the ‘silent killer.

Diabetes too is a serious condition and an emergency can arise for a variety of reasons. Patients should seek medical help if they present with confusion, dizziness, blurry vision and nausea, dry mouth and increased thirst, feeling unusually shaky, nervous, irritable or anxious, chest pain running down the arm, sweating, chills and pale, clammy skin, rapid heartbeat, weakness, tiredness, tingling of the mouth and headache.

“We understand that people fear getting infected with Covid-19, but if they’re living with a serious health condition, the best way to manage it is with the help of their healthcare practitioner,” Dr Grebe concluded.

Healthcare staff across the country have implemented stringent infection control measures at doctors’ rooms and clinics to protect patients. Hospitals have also separated Covid-19 patients from others seeking care.