How Is Morocco Reacting to COVID-19 Crisis in Anticancer Centers?

Abstract

The world is facing the pandemic linked to COVID-19 virus infection that has rapidly spread worldwide, and severe complications have been reported to occur in around a third of patients. To date, there is no approved vaccine or specific therapy against COVID-19, but many trials are ongoing with some of them showing promising results. It has been shown recently that patients with cancer are at high risk of infection and they are more susceptible to develop severe events such as the necessity of invasive ventilation and death. Therefore, this crisis presents a real challenge for health systems especially in low- and middle-income countries where the health systems are already fragile such as African countries. In this article, we describe the epidemiological situation of the infection in Morocco and the different challenges in cancer centers in the era of COVID-19, in addition to various strategies that have been implemented to prevent and control the infection spread in oncological units in order to ensure the continuation of adequate cancer care.

The Effects of COVID-19 on Cancer Care Provision: A Systematic Review

“…Testing played a huge role in various studies, with many hospitals enabling patient screening for COVID-19 symptoms upon hospital entry or pre-operatively. 3 , 7 - 38 This involved recording body temperature, checking respiratory symptoms, and taking blood tests and nasal swabs. 3 , 10 , 11 , 22 , 33 , 34 , 36 , 39 If the tests results were positive, patients were either disallowed treatment, asked to isolate/quarantine or were directed to COVID-19 outpatient clinics/admitted in to dedicated COVID-19 wards.…”

“… 3 , 7 - 38 This involved recording body temperature, checking respiratory symptoms, and taking blood tests and nasal swabs. 3 , 10 , 11 , 22 , 33 , 34 , 36 , 39 If the tests results were positive, patients were either disallowed treatment, asked to isolate/quarantine or were directed to COVID-19 outpatient clinics/admitted in to dedicated COVID-19 wards. 33 , 36 , 40 These interventions helped to prevent the on-site transmission of the virus.…”

“…3, This involved recording body temperature, checking respiratory symptoms, and taking blood tests and nasal swabs. 3,10,11,22,33,34,36,39 If the Table 1. Search Strategy.…”

“…7 Disinfection was also an important priority for some healthcare centers with hand sanitizers being widely distributed and hand sanitation/washing being made compulsory. 11,18,[20][21][22]34,71 Clinical environments and equipment were also frequently sterilized, such as the disinfection treatment of beds and surrounding areas during treatment intervals. 18,20,22,24,44,71 Anesthetists also undertook protective measures whereby intubation procedures were conducted via the use of video laryngoscopes with a plastic drape in order to reduce aerosol spread (Head and Neck Cancer Services, Hong Kong).…”

Patient Perception of Oncology Care During the Covid-19 Pandemic: A Prospective Observational Study From Morocco

“…The entire global has been profoundly affected by the health crisis, but the pandemic has a more severe impact on people in third world countries because of limited resources and weak health system such as the low number of hospital beds especially in intensive care units, insufficient number of medical and paramedical staff as well as protective equipment against the virus [1].…”