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IIn March 2020, the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) was designated by the Department of Health (DoH) as one of three referral centers for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Metro Manila. As a result, a substantial proportion of the hospital’s logistics and labor was allocated to caring for COVID-19 patients.
The PGH Cancer Institute, among other specialized hospital non-emergency outpatient services, ceased operations for a week to ensure the safety of cancer patients who are mostly immunosuppressed and therefore have increased risk of becoming infected with the new coronavirus. (“Treatment of cancer patients during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines”, Ecancermedicalscience, May 8, 2020.)
“[Before the pandemic], we would see an average of 120 check-up patients, see 40 to 50 outpatient chemotherapy patients, 80 to 100 radiotherapy patients, and care for 20 to 25 patients admitted for inpatient chemotherapy regimens on a regular business day. Last week, we spent most of our time answering phone calls and text messages from patients, explaining the unfortunate scenario of closed clinics and suspended services, and facilitating the transfer of their care, ”wrote the consultants from the PGH Cancer Institute, Drs. Frederic Ivan Ting, Aveline Marie Ylanan and Dennis Lee Sacdalan. (“The pain of driving away cancer patients amid the COVID-19 pandemic,” Eurasian Journal of Medicine and Oncology, April 2020.)
Patient advocate Fátima García-Lorenzo shared the same concern when speaking during the Health for Juan and Juana webinar forum. “About 20% of our cancer patients have not been able to receive their usual treatments and many have relapsed. In addition to the lack of public transportation, cancer patients with weakened immune systems also have to contend with the lack of COVID-free wards in some hospitals, forcing them to go through the same entrances and corridors that COVID-patients use. 19, ”said Ms. Garcia-Lorenzo, CEO of the Kythe Foundation and president of the Philippine Alliance of Patient Organizations (PAPO).
Due to the overwhelming impact of the pandemic on cancer patients, the Philippine Cancer Coalition (CCPh) and members of the Philippine Pharmacists and Healthcare Association (PHAP) along with the DoH and Business world As a media partner, it is running a series of virtual forums to highlight the current plight of cancer patients in the country. Joining us in the forum series are the pharmaceutical companies MSD, Pfizer, Roche, Takeda, Boehringer Ingelheim, Novartis, and Johnson & Johnson.
The CCPh, on the other hand, is made up of the I Can Serve Foundation, Philippine Cancer Society, Cancer Warriors Foundation, Philippine Society of Oncologists, Project: Brave Kids, Carewell Community Foundation, and Philippine Society of Medical Oncology.
A forum held on February 4, titled “Cancer Conversations: Navigating Cancer with Patients,” aimed to support patients, increase understanding, and update information on where to get care during the pandemic.
The forum also reviewed the implementation of the National Integrated Cancer Control Act (NICCA), an internationally acclaimed law to map the comprehensive way forward to strengthen cancer control, increase cancer survival, and reduce the burden on cancer patients. patients and their families.
“This pandemic has underlined the importance of a strong and reliable health system for any country, but with historic laws such as the National Law for Integrated Cancer Control and the Law for Universal Health Care, we will make sure to build a health system that provides Quality healthcare without financial hardship for all Filipinos, including our cancer patients. As we continue to fight the pandemic, the DoH, together with its partners, will continue to provide early and sufficient access to cancer drugs and ensure the greatest chance of survival among people with cancer, ”said Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III.
“The COVID-19 pandemic revealed the strengths and weaknesses of our health system. Over the years, cancer awareness groups have been advocating for prevention, screening, early detection, and access to palliative care. Through this forum, cancer patients can share the challenges they faced during the pandemic and what resources were available to them. In addition to this, cancer patients and their families look forward to a hopeful life journey because cancer law provides equitable and affordable cancer care and treatment. We share the call for its full implementation so that patients do not have to wait any longer, ”said Paul Perez, president of CCPh and founder of Project Brave Kids.
The COVID-19 pandemic affected healthcare systems globally and resulted in the disruption of routine care in many healthcare facilities, exposing vulnerable cancer patients to significant risks. This was the key finding of a global collaborative study that used a validated web-based 51-item questionnaire to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cancer care. A total of 356 centers from 54 countries on six continents (including Asia) participated in the study between April 21 and May 8, 2020. These centers serve more than 700,000 new cancer patients annually. (“Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cancer care: A global collaborative study”, JCO Global Oncology, September 28, 2020.)
Most of the centers (88.2%) reported having faced challenges in providing care during the pandemic. Although more than half (55.34%) reduced services as part of a preventive strategy, other common reasons included an overwhelmed system (19.94%), lack of personal protective equipment (19.10%), shortage of personnel due to infections (17.98%) and restricted access to medicines (9.83%). Almost half of the centers (46.31%) reported that more than 10% of their patients had missed at least one cycle of therapy. Participants reported patient exposure to harm from interruption of cancer-specific care (36.52%) and non-cancer care (39.04%), with some centers estimating that up to 80% of his patients were exposed to harm. (“Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cancer care: A global collaborative study”, JCO Global Oncology, September 28, 2020.)
When the Cancer Institute reopened in April 2020, it implemented key strategies as part of a comprehensive approach to facilitate the provision of care and address the challenges posed by the pandemic. This approach was based on the guidelines and recommendations for clinicians regarding the care of cancer patients during this pandemic issued by the American Society for Clinical Oncology, the European Society for Medical Oncology, and the Philippine Society for Medical Oncology.
We can use the lessons learned during this difficult time to better prepare and create a more resilient healthcare system to handle future pandemics and health emergencies.
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