IMPACT OF COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON HEAD AND NECK CANCER SURGERY IN CENTRAL INDIA

Abstract

Introduction At present the COVID 19 pandemic has resulted in unprecedented challenge for healthcare facilities worldwide. This study was conducted to assess the impact of COVID-19 pandemic and inability to treat Head and Neck Cancer(HNC) in a timely fashion in the present emergent situation and highlights the situation in India, which has one of the highest the highest incidence rates of HNC. To assess the effectAim: of COVID 19 Pandemic on the head and neck cancer surgeries. We assessed the records of the patients who underwentMaterials & Methods: surgery for head and neck cancer between January and August 2020 and compared it with number of the surgery done in the previous two years i.e 2018 and 2019 between January and August months.Impact of COVID 19 was also assessed and possible reasons for inability to avail health-care were noted down as told by patients and surgeons through questionnaires. There was great decline in the number of surgeries beingResults: performed during the pandemic compared to previous year with most decline (100%) during the month of April 2019 followed by May having 80% decrease in number of surgery . Amongst the most common reason for not receiving treatment according to the patients were lack of transportation facilities fear of getting infected and lack of treatment facilities and doctors while for Surgeons it was lack of supporting nursing and paramedical staff followed by transportation facilities and clear guidelines were the most common reasons. This Pandemic has severely affectedConclusions: the treatment of HNC as result of which many patients are being rendered inoperable or require extensive surgeries. Clear Guidelines based on universal Consensus in management of HNC is needed to for better management of HNC during COVID 19 pandemic.