The Ministry of Health of Panama (Minsa) reports that the National Oncological Institute (ION) does not treat patients who suffer from cancer and are affected with COVID-19, this as a measure to prevent the spread of other patients in state of vulnerability.
The director of this medical facility, Juan Carlos Alcedo, explained that the patients who visit the ION are referred to a triage to find out their respiratory health, all patients who are admitted to invasive treatment must undergo the
COVID-19 test, and they must also enter unaccompanied, as the hospitalized do not receive visits.
Earlier Mrs. Omaira de Garibaldo reported on Telemetro Reporta that her husband, who is a patient at the Oncology Institute, was refused entry to the entity due to the alleged selection of patients.
The National Oncological Institute (ION) has closed the doors to
COVID-19 and to achieve this, it maintains a strict manual of biosafety measures, which must be followed by both patients and medical personnel who work there, said Alcedo before the Deputy Minister of Health, Ivette Berrío, who made a visit to the facilities in order to learn about the strategies used in this hospital unit.
She added that despite the measures taken, positive cases of asymptomatic people have been detected, and these patients have been referred to different hospital units for
COVID-19 care.
These measures were presented to the Vice Minister of Health and also president of the ION board of trustees are part of the strategies used by the ION, to preserve the well-being of the inmates and those who come seeking care at this medical center, she highlights.
On the other hand, the patients with cancer treatment are folloing more strict sanitary measures during these pandemic months, which he added is good news.