COVID-19 pandemic and the widening gap to access cancer services in Uganda.

ABSTRACT

The COVID-19 pandemic and its public health control measures have led to worldwide interruptions in healthcare service delivery, and cancer services are no exception. These interruptions have exacerbated the effects of previously reported barriers to accessing cancer care which was reportedly low even before the pandemic. If these effects are not mitigated, the achievements in cancer control that had already been made could be watered down. Measuring the impact of COVID-19 pandemic control measures on delivery of and access to cancer services in Uganda as well as other countries worldwide can inform the design of current and future responses to epidemics while putting into context other diseases like cancer that have a high burden.