The novel Corona virus COVID – 19 viral diseases has threatened the world. The W.H.O. has already declared on March 11, 2020 this as pandemic across the globe, in nearly 200 countries. At that time WHO has advised all countries to take a whole of governances, whole of society approach, built around comprehensive strategy to prevent infection, save lives and minimize the impact.

Indian subcontinent - govt. of India, through Ministry of Health and Family welfare [1] has developed strategic approach for the following possible scenarios.

  1. 1)

    Travel related care reported in India.

  2. 2)

    Local transmission of COVID – 19,

  3. 3)

    large out break amenable to containment

  4. 4)

    Wide approach community transmission of COVID 19 disease.

  5. 5)

    India becomes, endemic for COVID – 19.

Our concern today is how to look at surgical management of cancer during COVID – 19 pandemic. The management of cancer especially the solid tumors we have to formulate a guidelines with special reference to specialty institutions which deals with cancer and multi specialty institution where in infectious disease like TB, Viral diseases and Cancer.

While formulating the guidelines which is uniform applicable to various institutions in India we have to take it consideration facility available, economics, and experience and evidence though it is low. The recommended guidelines should give standard of care, cost effective treatment and outcome results should be equal to accepted global standards.

The various guidelines has been recommended by International [2] and national organizations of specialties like American College of Surgeon’s [2] & Indian Association of Surgical Oncology [3], ICMR (Indian Council of medical Research – [4], National Cancer Grid [5] & Institutions like Tata Memorial centre [6]. All these institutions have taken into consideration cancer an independent entity and recommended how one has to approach with special reference to diagnostic procedures, staging and treatment policies depending on institutional MDT’s.

The health professionals are facing different problems in this country, as well as across the globe. How to use preventive measures for health professional keeping in mind, economics, social impact implementation statutory things to bring down the COVID – 19 virus transmitting to the community and have a flat curve of stage 2 to 3.

In this issue we have publishing the recommended guidelines for surgical management of cancer during COVID – 19 Pandemic. The other articles published abstract presentation of the scientific papers presented at Indian Society of Peritoneal diseases which was held in Mumbai. We thank Dr.Aditi Bhatt sectional editor of IJSO & Dr.S.M.Mehta of Mumbai.

We hope in future our health professionals who were working hard to curtail pandemic of COVID – 19 will be successful.

With regards,

Dr.K.S.Gopinath

Chairman / Editor IJSO