HYDERABAD: The special Covid-19 ward for cancer patients which was mooted by Health Minister Eatala Rajender will be given technical support by the staff of MNJ Institute of Oncology & Regional Cancer Centre in Red Hills.
Speaking to Express, director of MNJ Hospital, Dr N Jayalatha, explained the due protocol they would be following for this highly vulnerable group of patients.
“For patients with cancer, chemotherapy and other cancer treatments will be stopped once they are diagnosed with Covid-19. This would not necessarily set back their cancer treatment as it would only be for two weeks or so that the chemo will be discontinued. During the two-week phase, the necessary Covid-19 support would be given,” explained Dr N Jayalatha.
Presently, MNJ Hospital is isolating anyone with symptoms in their 30-bed isolation room and sending samples for tests.
“We have a higher number of cancer patients coming in as many missed it during the lockdown. However, anyone with symptoms is being isolated, their samples collected and sent to Gandhi Hospital for testing. Of the 200 samples, we sent, only three have tested positive,” added the doctor.
She further stressed that the hospital is taking due precautions to ensure it is not a potential spreader of the virus by screening bystanders and patients alike for symptoms at the entry. The new wards will not be in MNJ Hospital and would likely be in another hospital with a 100-bed capacity. Only four cancer patients with Covid are undergoing treatment in Gandhi Hospital. “All four patients are in the ICU and being monitored thoroughly with support from cancer specialists,” informed Superintendent Dr Raja Rao.