Table 3.
Free‐Text Comments by Physician Regarding Other Aspects Affected by the Pandemic
| Category | Physician Comments | Country |
|---|---|---|
| Drawbacks and difficulties | Limitations on travel have affected many patients who need treatment available only in other countries, such as stem cell transplantation and specialized therapy | Bahrain, Georgia |
| Several patients were stranded overseas or in another region of the country, leading to high stress levels by the primary and local teams | Iraq | |
| The decrease in health care professionals and psychosocial services led to less time available with a patient and increased stress on families and health care workers, especially with social distancing measures precluding common expressions of empathy | Kuwait | |
| Lack of affordable PPE | Algeria, Georgia, Lebanon, Nepal | |
| Lack of financial coverage for PCR tests for COVID‐19 | Algeria, Lebanon | |
| Expectation of major economic impact on families, as many have lost their wages, which may lead to treatment abandonment | Algeria, Lebanon, Pakistan | |
| New registration of cancer cases has dropped significantly, up to 60% in 1 center, reflecting lower rates of diagnosis | Pakistan | |
| Fears regarding the impact of prolonged closures on blood product supply and medication shortage | Turkey, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Nepal, Armenia, Pakistan, Yemen | |
| Fears regarding impact on fundraising activities, which are essential to provide care to patients in many centers | Lebanon, Armenia | |
| Expectations of increased relapse rates, and increased number of patients with delayed diagnosis and advanced disease | Kuwait | |
| Positive by‐products | Utility of social media in minimizing hospital visits and liaison with peripheral hospital to save time and costs on care delivery locally | Jordan, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia |
| Compliance with infection control and hand hygiene practices, which are now implemented religiously across the hospital | Pakistan | |
| Psychological support sessions are being made available to physicians, which had not occurred previously | Pakistan | |
| Pediatric oncology patients benefitted from the school shift to online learning and are now able to attend classes virtually with their peers | Armenia | |
| Availability of radiology appointments at short notice because of the decreased demand from other hospital departments | Bahrain | |
| Future studies | Understand the impact on morbidity, mortality, and relapse rates | Morocco |
| Specific guidance by international consensus for managing pediatric oncology patients during similar crises | Nepal |
Abbreviations: COVID‐19, coronavirus disease 2019; PCR, polymerase chain reaction; PPE, personal protective equipment.