ALFRED VARGAS
HINDI na umano makapaghihintay ang mga cancer patients na hindi nakakapunta sa mga ospital dahil sa coronavirus disease 2019.
Umapela si Quezon City Rep. Alfred Vargas sa Department of Health at Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases na ikonsidera ang rekomendasyon ng mga doktor at health care providers upang magamot ang mga cancer patients.
“Amidst the COVID19 pandemic, treatments have been postponed as going to hospitals for chemotherapy, radiation and even ordinary consultations poses greater risks for cancer patients. But more than a month and a-half under ECQ, some protocols need to be established as cancer treatment sessions cannot be postponed indefinitely,” ani Vargas.
Kabilang sa mga rekomendasyon na tinutukoy ni Vargas ang pagtukoy sa mga ospital at clinic na magiging para lamang sa cancer treatment at ang paggawa ng guidelines para matiyak na hindi mahahawa ng COVID-19 ang mga pasyenteng ito. Dapat din umanong tiyakin na mayroong sapat na suplay ng gamot sa mga ito.
“The plight of cancer patients and their families is no joke, financially, socially, medically…everything. The emotional stress is just too much when one sees a loved one suffer, and suffer more because of delayed treatment. It is further totally unacceptable when, with extreme lockdowns, the problem of transporting the patient to and from the residence adds on to their already difficult situation,” saad ng solon.
Si Vargas ang may-akda ng National Integrated Cancer Control Act (Republic Act 11215).
Sa pag-aaral ng University of the Philippines’ Institute of Human Genetics, National Institutes of Health apat na Pilipino ang namamatay sa kanser kada oras o 96 kada araw.