Impact of COVID-19 on palliative care of cancer patients: Perspectives from Pakistan.

ABSTRACT

The COVID-19 pandemic has adversely affected the survival rate and palliative care of cancer patients all over the globe. In Pakistan, there are only a few institutions and organizations which provide specialized facilities for palliative care. During the pandemic, these specialized facilities were further limited. As only less than one percent of people had access to palliative care across Pakistan in the pandemic, the situation can be improved by establishing more such departments, providing telemedicine, increasing social media campaigns, and highlighting the importance of palliative care among cancer patients.