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COVID-19 proves to be a bane for cancer patients in State

By MANASH PRATIM DUTTA

GUWAHATI, Aug 22 - Medical experts fear an abnormal rise in the mortality rate of patients battling chronic diseases by the end of this year with hospital records suggesting that many such patients have discontinued treatment in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic, making things worse for themselves.

The trend is even more evident in the case of cancer, medical experts say.

As per information made available to the newspaper, the footfall of patients during the lockdown period has reduced by 30 per cent in case of State Cancer Institute (SCI) and 50 per cent each in case of Dr B Borooah Cancer Institute (BBCI) and North East Cancer Hospital and Research Institute (NECHRI).

BBCI Director Dr Amal Chandra Kataki said as a chronic disease like cancer needs continuous treatment and so the decline of patients� footfall is a worrying sign, which will only increase complicacy for the patients.

�The ongoing pandemic has a very critical impact on cancer treatment, with patients preferring to delay their treatment fearing the disease. There is nothing that we can do. Moreover, many health workers and doctors also exposed to the disease,� Dr Kataki said.

He, however, conceded that with the government allowing relaxation, the footfall of patients has started improving in his hospital. He also added that the situation is the same in most of the cancer hospitals in the country.

Amid the lockdown, around 65 doctors of BBCI provided teleconsultation to as many as 5,000 patients. But Dr Kataki cited that teleconsultation would never be a substitute for normal cancer treatment.

An official of the SCI informed that with the imposition of lockdown relaxation, the footfall of patients has also shown an increase in the past few days.

�We make arrangements to conduct COVID-19 test for every patient so that we could save our doctors and other workers from the disease. But if anyone found COVID-19 positive, then it will definitely cause a delay in cancer treatment,� the official said.

Dr MN Baruah of NECHRI asserted that for a cancer patient, COVID-19 is a dangerous proposition as both the diseases are directly linked with the human immune system.

�The big challenge is that it is not possible to treat a cancer patient with chemotherapy if he or she is also suffering from COVID-19 at the same time due to the immunity issue. Not only in case of viral infection but in case of bacterial infection too, chemotherapy is not advisable as it kills blood cells. But we could continue the radiotherapy or carry out the surgery by taking all precautions,� he said.

He further pointed out that in Assam, the situation is very critical as most of the patients were diagnosed with cancer when the disease reached its advanced stage.

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