ecancermedicalscience

Short Communication

Zambia’s National Cancer Centre response to the COVID-19 pandemic—an opportunity for improved care

28 May 2020
Dorothy C Lombe, Catherine K Mwaba, Susan C Msadabwe, Lewis Banda, Maurice Mwale, George Pupwe, Paul Kamfwa, Mulape Kanduza, Harry Munkupa, Biemba Maliti, Kalyoka Simbeye, Pious Hachizo, Lilie Lin, Elizabeth Chiao, Kennedy Lishimpi

The COVID-19 pandemic has overwhelmed health systems around the globe even in countries with strong economies. This is of particular concern for nations with weaker health systems. This article reports the response of a comprehensive cancer centre in a lower-middle income country to prevent COVID-19 transmission and how the implementation of pragmatic strategies have served as a springboard to improve cancer services beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. The strategies included establishment of a local taskforce, increased education and facilitation of good hygiene practices, staff training, patient triaging, improved patient scheduling, remote review of patients and establishing a virtual platform for meetings.

Related Articles

Saran Green, Aida Santaolalla, Beth Russell, Gincy George, Harriet Wylie, Maria Monroy-Iglesias, Ailbhe Lawlor, Mark Minott, Annette Carty, Vernon Bailey, Tene Green, Zhane Peterson, Charlene Young, Mieke Van Hemelrijck
Fatima Shaukat, Tayyab Siddiqui, Yumna Ahmed, Muneeba Khan, Mariam Fahim, Asna Noor, Agha Muhammad Hammad Khan, Ahmed Nadeem Abbasi
Julia Ismael, Eugenia Esandi, Gerardo Arroyo, Sergio Becerra, Suyapa Bejarano, Carlos Castro, Claudia Enrique, Cinthia Guana, Francisco Gutiérrez-Delgado, Ernesto Gil Deza, Karin Kopitowsky, Daniel Lewis, Bettina Müller, Raúl Murillo, Alicia Pomata, Jorge Puyol, Gabriela Quintanilla, Silvana Rompato, Luiz Santini, Tatiana Vidaurre, Angela Solano, Eduardo Cazap
Julia Challinor, Alan Davidson, Guillermo Chantada, Rejin Kebudi, Kathy Pritchard-Jones
Ximena P González, Isabel Abarca-Baeza, Carmen Gloria San Martin, Ana Belén Ilabaca, Andrea Ibañez-Zuñiga, Rafael Herrada, Berta Cerda-Álvarez, Juvenal A Ríos