Rep. Sylvia Garcia speaking with Baylor and Harris Health officials concerning long-COVID care
Baylor’s Post-COVID clinic receives federal funding
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Baylor College of Medicine hosted U.S. Rep. Sylvia Garcia (TX-29) for a check presentation from the Congressional Community Project Funding program that will support Baylor and Harris Health’s long-COVID care clinics. The funding is part of the Bipartisan Omnibus Appropriations Bill.
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(L to R) Dr. Esmaeil Porsa, Harris Health CEO, Dr. Paul Klotman, BCM President, CEO and Executive Dean, Rep. Sylvia Garcia (D-29), Sima Ladjevardian Regional Director of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
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The bill allocated $10.2 million for Community Project Funding, of which $1.1 million was awarded to Baylor to support long-COVID care facilities, which will be expanding to Harris Health’s Strawberry Clinic located in East Harris County in the 29th Congressional District.
In addition to the establishment of a dedicated physical clinic location, Baylor will develop a secure COVID-19 database, maintained and analyzed by experts in the Institute for Clinical and Translational Research at Baylor. This will create a resource to help understand the varied impacts of Covid-19 on our diverse population and to determine best practices for care concerning long-COVID symptoms.
Long-COVID symptoms can affect anyone who has had COVID regardless of severity. These symptoms can affect many organ systems including the heart, lungs or brain, leading to persistent shortness of breath, brain fog or anxiety. Treatment and research into continued care and needs of those with lingering symptoms is now a focus of healthcare providers.
“Rep Garcia was instrumental in guiding this project through to its approval,” said Dr. Paul E. Klotman, President, CEO and executive dean of Baylor College of Medicine. “She understands the health disparities of her district and the greater Houston community and spearheaded efforts for the BCM program’s inclusion in the Appropriations Bill.”
Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia (TX-29) spearheaded the effort for nine Houston area community projects that are currently being funding.
"In my district we know we have a high rate of COVID and we know we will have a high long-COVID impact," said Rep. Garcia. "It is important to support care and research because it is impacting their quality of life and it is impacting their ability to work. The long-COVID treatment and research projects going on here at Baylor are some of the best. We are doing the work, we are doing the research and we will continue to do it together."