The Regional Cancer Centre in Thiruvananthapuram, the largest treatment centre for cancer patients in the state, has decided to postpone all non-emergency treatment procedures by a week. From March 23 to March 28, only emergency cases of chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgeries will be conducted.
The decision comes in the wake of more COVID-19 cases being reported in the state. In just two days, Kerala saw a spike, with the total number of at 52 at the time of writing. Three persons among this have been recovered.
“Chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery can induce immunosuppression in cancer patients. This may be deleterious to the patients in the current coronavirus pandemic scenario,” says the statement released by the Regional Cancer Centre (RCC). It has been reported that those people with low body immunity and with any other pre-existing disease conditions, are more prone to contract the disease.
Meanwhile, RCC also said that the patients already undergoing radiation will continue their treatment as scheduled.
Hundreds of people throng the RCC every day for their treatments. With both the Centre and the state government cautioning against COVID-19’s possible widespread outbreak, other medical institutions in the state have also asked people not to approach medical care unless it's an emergency.
RCC has also informed the patients that new dates for scheduling treatment procedures can be availed through the below mentioned contact numbers between 10 am and 4 pm.
Surgery : 8289893454, 0471-252 2902
Radiotherapy : 0471-252 2273/2442541/ 2445069/2445079
Chemotherapy : 0471-2442541 / 2445069/2445079
Meanwhile, the Kerala government has called out to health practitioners in the state to volunteer for assisting the Department of Health and Family Welfare to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. People from medical, paramedical and other health related backgrounds can volunteer. Their services will be used at the isolation facilities in hospitals, homes, patient management in wards, screening at airports, seaports, railway stations, and bus stations. Interested people can register using this link.
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