The University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, has renewed its commitment to making certain that no affected person is left to endure avoidable pain, with specialists stressing that efficient pain administration is a vital part of high quality palliative care.
The specialists spoke on the Hospital-Wide Grand Round organised by UCH in collaboration with the Department of Hospice and Palliative Care to commemorate World Hospice and Palliative Care Day 2026. The theme was “Pain Management: An Essential Part of Palliative Care”.
Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Medical Director of UCH, Prof. Jesse Otegbayo, represented by the Chairman of the Medical Advisory Committee, Prof. Bukola Adesina, stated pain administration remained central to the aim of medication, significantly when healing remedy was now not potential.
“While we aim and we are trained to cure, sometimes that cure is not possible, then we must care. And at the centre of that care is the relief of pain,” he stated.
Prof. Otegbayo stated pain prolonged past bodily struggling, noting that sufferers with most cancers, organ failure and superior coronary heart illness may additionally expertise psychological, social and non secular misery.
He emphasised that palliative care shouldn’t be regarded solely as end-of-life care however ought to be built-in into remedy from analysis for sufferers with severe or life-limiting diseases.
He stated the hospital administration would proceed to assist the provision of important analgesics, together with oral morphine, practice extra healthcare employees and combine palliative-care screening into routine ward rounds.
Prof. Otegbayo described entry to pain aid as a human rights problem, urging healthcare professionals to recognise and tackle avoidable struggling.
The Head of the Department of Hospice and Palliative Care, Dr Yetunde Oloyede, stated sufferers may concurrently expertise bodily, psychological, social and non secular pain, with some dimensions usually neglected or mistaken for bodily signs.
“This is a time to let everybody know that our patients suffer more than just physical pain, and our specialists and doctors should look for more than just that,” she stated.
Oloyede famous that about 40 million individuals require palliative care, with most of them dwelling in low- and middle-income nations, and referred to as for higher consciousness and entry to palliative care companies.
Emeritus Samuel Omokhodion, guide paediatrician, chaplain to UCH and Chairman of the Chaplaincy Committee, stated non secular pain may very well be as extreme as bodily pain.
Speaking on “Management of Spiritual Pain in Palliative Care”, he stated sufferers with severe diseases usually wrestle with guilt, concern, hopelessness, lack of that means and questions on God, dying and the aim of life.
He referred to as for non secular care to be built-in into routine palliative care, urging healthcare employees to “ask, listen, act, document and return”.
Dr Olalekan Adeleke, Head of the Medical Social Services Department, stated social pain was a significant factor of struggling and ought to be addressed alongside bodily, psychological and non secular pain.
He recognized monetary hardship, lack of ability to fulfil household and occupational roles, incapacity, social isolation, household battle and caregiving burdens as components that might worsen social pain.
Adeleke advocated complete social evaluation and focused interventions, urging healthcare groups to make higher use of social employees, households and group organisations to scale back struggling and assist sufferers preserve dignity and high quality of life.
Mrs Oluwafunmilayo Olowa, a scientific psychologist and Acting Head of the Department of Clinical Psychology, stated psychological pain was actual, deserved evaluation and shouldn’t be dismissed as a traditional response to severe sickness.
She urged healthcare employees to recognise misery early, validate sufferers’ fears, present clear info, assist coping and refer sufferers for specialised psychological care when needed.
Dr Mukaila Akinwale, a guide anaesthetist and palliative care doctor, stated bodily pain was just one part of the broader “total pain” skilled by sufferers with severe diseases.
He stated efficient administration of bodily pain may assist break the cycle of complete pain, enhance high quality of life and create the psychological and non secular house needed for dignity and peace on the finish of life.
WATCH TOP VIDEOS FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE TV
