LettersFocus on coronavirus should not come at the cost of cancer care
- The shift in health care resources to contain the pandemic has affected the allocation of resources to other diseases, such as cancer
- It is important cancer patients are not alienated during the pandemic as doubts over funding for cancer diagnosis and treatment have increased their worries
It’s never easy to answer the question, “What’s it like living with cancer?” It needs to be explained in a way that is relatable to everyone. Now the question one is asked more often is, “What’s it like to live with cancer during Covid-19?” This is much easier for me to answer – terrifying.
In 2018, South, East and Southeast Asia had 8.2 million new cancer cases and 5.2 million deaths. However, since the onset of Covid-19, cancer diagnoses have fallen across the world, with weekly reports of new cases down as much as 50 per cent in some countries.
People are naturally scared of going out and visiting health care providers for fear of contracting Covid-19. However, the shift in health care resources to counter the pandemic has also affected the allocation of resources to other diseases.
Moreover, there has been little in the way of support for existing and new cancer patients to help them navigate the changing health care environment. Much of this is because of the generic way in which society categorises cancer patients. Not every cancer patient or their experience is the same. What I need in terms of support is very different to another patient.
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