Impact of COVID-19 on delivery of oncology services in Northern Tanzania: a cross-sectional study of community health workers and patients undergoing cancer treatment at the Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre

OBJECTIVE: To ascertain how the COVID-19 pandemic was perceived by oncology patients and community health workers (CHWs) and whether this contributed to disruptions in cancer care. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study using (1) structured telephone interviews with patients and (2) structured questionnaires completed by CHWs. SETTING: Outpatient and community care at Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre’s Cancer Care Centre (KCMCCCC), Northern Tanzania. PARTICIPANTS: 300 oncology patients (158 men and 142 women) who had attended KCMCCCC between January and April 2020 and 78 CHWs (16 men and 62 women) in the KCMC regional palliative care network who conducted home visits to patients with cancer during the period January to April 2020. PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURES: For patients, missed appointments and fear of COVID-19 more than postponement of their treatment. For CHWs, no primary outcome (a broad range of questions on perception of the pandemic were asked). RESULTS: 30% of patients said they missed appointments due to the pandemic, the most commonly cited reasons being financial problems (37%) and fear of acquiring COVID-19 infection during travel and/or in the hospital (37%). Only 12.7% of patients said they feared COVID-19 more than postponement of cancer treatment. 88% of CHWs noticed differences in delivering home care since the start of the pandemic, with 58% saying they had noticed more patients dying and 74% saying that more patients were relying on local healers. 31% of CHWs said they feared home visits because of COVID-19 and 46% perceived patients feared home visits due to COVID-19. However, 92% felt home visits should continue. CONCLUSION: These results indicated that while there was a significant degree of disruption and fear around the COVID-19 pandemic, the majority of patients and CHWs did not fear of COVID-19 more than disruption to cancer care. This highlights the importance to these groups of maintaining access to vital cancer services.