Covid-19 pandemic disrupted treatments for non-communicable diseases like cancer: WHO

The World Health Organisation says that about half of countries surveyed in a new analysis have had partial or complete disruption of services for people with high blood pressure and diabetes treatment during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

In a survey of 155 countries last month, the UN health agency found worrying problems in the provision of health care for people with non-communicable diseases, many of whom are at higher risk of severe complications from COVID-19.

“Many people who need treatment for diseases like cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes have not been receiving the health services and medicines they need since the COVID-19 pandemic began,” said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in a statement.

“It’s vital that countries find innovative ways to ensure that essential services…continue even as they fight COVID-19.”

The survey also found that 42% of countries had interrupted services for cancer patients and 31% for heart emergencies. In more than 90% of countries, health care staff had been partially or fully reassigned to pandemic duties.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Kashmir Monitor staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)