DELAYS IN BREAST CANCER TREATMENT SCHEDULES DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND PATIENT EXPERIENCE WITH SAFETY PROTOCOLS: A TERTIARY HOSPITAL EXPERIENCE IN GHANA

Objective: As at 30th September 2020 in Ghana 46,626 confirmed cases of COVID-19 with 301 related deaths had been reported. All over the world and in Ghana, elective surgeries including cancer surgeries were delayed. Korle Bu Teaching Hospital had to adjust by performing fewer elective surgeries. The hospital also put into place COVID-19 safety protocols to protect both patients and staff. These included temperature checks, handwashing, limited number of visitors and health education at the Out-patient Departments. This study set out to evaluate how the pandemic affected access to breast cancer treatment, particularly surgery and the patients’ experience with the COVID-19 safety protocols. Methodology: This was a cross-sectional study conducted on all patients who had surgery for breast cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic, from April to September 2020. The areas assessed were OPD, chemotherapy and surgery appointments. Categorical variables were reported as percentages and continuous variables as mean (± SD) or median (with IQR). Descriptive analysis used to represent delays in OPD, Chemotherapy and Surgery appointments. Results: A total of 103 breast cancer surgeries were identified. Seventy-seven (74.8%) of these consented to participate in the study. This study documented 10.4% delays in OPD attendance, 24.5% delays in chemotherapy sessions and 61.0% postponement of surgeries with a mean waiting time to surgery of 6.4 weeks [SD 3.8]. The enforcement of the COVID-19 safety protocols and the practice of physical distancing made the majority (72.7%) feel safe. Conclusion: Healthcare capacity and planning should support the national agenda to fight the pandemic without undue delays in cancer care.