There is concern in cancer patients about the suspension of care in the Outpatient Area of the Society for the Fight Against Cancer (Solca), which was announced on December 31 by said Buenos Aires institution.
From Monday 4 to Sunday 17 January, that area that receives cancer patients will be closed.
The Guayaquil institution reported that this decision was adopted due to the considerable increase in positive cases of COVID-19 in oncological patients and doctors, although figures of infections by the virus were not detailed in this hospital located in the citadel La Atarazana, north of the city .
Solca explained that appointments and treatments scheduled during the time that the Outpatient Area will be closed will be rescheduled by phone. It was indicated that only oncological emergencies will be attended 24 hours during the suspension.
Citizens and family members of cancer patients questioned this decision as soon as the entity issued the statement through the social network Twitter, around noon on Thursday 31.
“Please, my husband had a consultation with radiology, and the clinical oncologist says that he should receive them now or he will have to receive chemo,” replied a citizen to the entity.
The response that users received from Solca was that the rescheduling would be announced in a timely manner.
This Friday the 1st, other citizens also showed uncertainty by not knowing the new date of their oncological treatments.
Alberto Macías indicated that he planned to take exams on Thursday the 7th. Given this announcement, he will wait until Monday the 4th to call and ask about the new date. “They are control tests that I have to take, but on Monday I had to reconfirm,” he said.
The same situation is that of Carmen C. She was going to be operated on on Monday the 11th. Her fear is that of not knowing how long the surgery will be rescheduled. “This disease does not wait. I was diagnosed with breast cancer before the pandemic and I have delayed the operation. We are very confused, ”he said.
He recalled that a colleague died last year for not being treated in time for a similar illness. “I do not want to live the same, I hope they do not delay another two months,” he explained.
However, there are voices that agree with the measure. Renata Arévalo believes that the best thing to do is to try to prevent those who suffer from cancer from suffering from COVID-19.
“They have very low defenses. My brother has colon cancer. I understand that there are many people with urgent surgeries, but there must be adequate ways to cope with all these procedures without affecting the health of the patients, “he said.
However, other patients like Rodolfo M. clamored for the rescheduling not to take more than two weeks than was already planned. “Hopefully they accept us as oncological emergencies, because those of us with cancer cannot wait long,” said the citizen yesterday.
In May 2020, Solca resumed outpatient care, which had been suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The respective biosafety measures were established at the site for admitted patients. Weeks earlier, inquiries had begun to be answered electronically.
Last Monday the 28th, Solca and the Ecuadorian Social Security Institute (IESS) signed an inter-institutional agreement for the advance of $ 15 million for the care of members. (I)
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