Things cancer patient may face in hospital due to Corona
Indian hospitals are witnessing an overwhelming rush of Coronavirus patients and it is causing inordinate delays in the admission of cancer patients.
Most of the health care centers in India are delaying the nonessential surgeries and treatments to prevent the transmission of the Coronavirus which has impacted the medical infrastructure in terms of availability of beds, and medical supplies including oxygen and Covid medicines.
Cancer patients are at a high risk of getting infected with the Coronavirus and hospitalization can be detrimental to their health.
That means millions of Indians have to face unforeseen challenges to getting medical care. Starting mid-March with a surge of the second wave of Coronavirus, Indian hospitals are not undertaking most elective procedures except for certain urgent, life-threatening situations.
The team of cancer specialists in several hospitals across the country is trying to figure out what all cancer treatments can be delayed. Access to health care for cancer patients during the COVID-19 pandemic has become increasingly difficult in India.
Hospitals are formulating several guidelines that recommend adjustments in various forms of cancer treatments depending on the type of cancer, grade, and stage.
Some of the problems being faced by cancer patients in Indian hospitals include bed availability, delaying of radiotherapy dates, long waiting time for appointments with cancer specialists, deferral of surgery dates, and availability of chemotherapy slots in daycare. Oversees cancer patients are facing problems in the extension of visas for post-operative treatment and care.
Few other problems being faced by such patients are unavailability of counseling sessions, difficulty in maintaining precautionary measures, and non-availability of chemotherapy medications.
As there are a large number of patients with serious COVID-19 infections and severe respiratory distress requiring ventilator support, the intensive care units are already stretched with such patients and are unable to provide the optimum level of care for cancer patients requiring critical care.
The shortage of health care workers delivering care to cancer patients like oncologists, nursing professionals, pharmacists, radiation physicists, and radiotherapy staff is adding to the anxiety of cancer patients.
Cancer patients from various parts of the country come to the metro cities of India for treatment and surgeries as the best facilities and hospitals are available here.
However, in the last two months, they are finding it increasingly difficult to get admission to these renowned hospitals due to a big surge in COVID-19 patients.
At a time when hospitals are busy dealing with the COVID-19 cases, cancer patients are facing immense hardships as their treatment and surgeries have been postponed.
They have been advised to avoid non-essential visits to hospitals to keep coronavirus infection at bay adding to their woe. It will take some time for the Covid pandemic to go away and till then cancer patients can expect a delay in the treatment of various types of cancers.
If you are searching for a cancer hospital in India, visit the website of max healthcare for a list of renowned max super-specialty hospitals across the country that offer specialized cancer treatments to patients from all walks of life.
