Cancer Health Care Management At A Tertiary Care Hospital During The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Bio-Ethical Perspective.

Purpose: The aim of this article is to explore the ethical challenges in the treatment of cancer patients at a tertiary care hospital during the Covid-19 pandemic. Materials and Methods: The paper is based on empirical observations apart from a systematic literature review of secondary data from the World Health Organisation (WHO) Novel Corona virus website and central databases like Embase, Scopus and Medline. This paper will discuss the bio-ethics perspective and issues in cancer healthcare management during the Covid-19 pandemic and shall serve as a knowledge base for medical practitioners in general and people related to oncology in particular. Results: The Covid-19 pandemic has been equally challenging for all including patients, healthcare workers and policy makers. Understanding the ethical responsibilities and rational behaviours is critically important for every person facing this challenge. It is possible to emerge victorious from the Covid-19 pandemic in a dignified manner only when the standards of ethics are well understood are held high by the general public, patients, doctors, hospital staff and policy makers equally. Conclusion: Since the oncology patients are immune compromised, they need more attention during the Covid-19 pandemic as they are susceptible to worst of the outcomes of Covid-19 infection. In light of limited resources at a tertiary care hospital where the administration has to look after the other departments as well, it is extremely important to explore, understand and practice the bio-ethical perspective of the cancer healthcare management during the Covid-19 pandemic as the ethical aspects can easily get neglected in a pandemic like Covid-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]