Letters to the Editors: Big flooding in Thailand, the problem on loss following up of patients with hypertension

During October 2011 to November 2011, there was a big flooding in Thailand affected millions of the local Thai population. The problem on the normal health care system existed and the patients receiving the primary care from health care center were mainly affected. Under care of the primary care units, hypertension is a common disease to be followed up. The flooding affected the regular system and the authors hereby share the experience and discuss on this specific issue. Based on data from a primary health care unit in Bangkok, of 452 hypertensive patients under following up, only 124 patients (27.4%) visited to the physicians at appointed date. This means the rate of loss following up is equal to 72.6%, which is significantly higher than that rate during non-flooding period (about 5%).