By Alawode Omotunde
The Psycho-oncology Society of Nigeria (POSON) recently held its seventh Annual Scientific Conference at the Surgical Skill Centre of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba, Lagos.
Various states in the country sent representatives to the four-day programme, with the theme “Psychosocial Support in Cancer Management in Nigeria – The Way Forward.”
Renowned experts and medical scholars were in attendance to discuss the topic, which ha a sub-theme “Depression and Cancer.”
Guest speakers at the event included Prof. Jude Uzoma Ohaeri, Prof. O.B. Campbell, Prof. A.T. Ajekigbe, Dr. Chioma Asuzu, president of the society, and her husband Prof. Asuzu, who is a member of the board of trustees. Prof. Chris Bode, chief medical director of LUTH, was the chief host.
In her opening speech, the POSON president said: “In organising these conferences and workshops, POSON is creating awareness on the basic rudiments of psycho-oncology to attendees from all over the country. Our aim is that, in due time, psycho-oncological practice will begin to take place in all the teaching hospitals and federal medical centres in the country.”
Asuzu explained that psycho-oncology was a field of interdisciplinary study and practice at the intersection of the medico-surgical and the psychological and social issues in oncology. She remarked that the field was concerned with aspects of cancer beyond medical treatment and include the lifestyle, psychological, social and spiritual aspects of the disease, which could assist the patients to adjust and cope with the burden of cancer, thereby enhancing their quality of life.
She promised that the society would sustain the noble practice through the assurance of political will by institutional leaders as well as the training and retraining of health personnel. Asuzu expressed gratitude to the attendees and praised the local organising committee members, especially the chairman, Dr. M.Y.M. Habeeb, for making the conference a success.
Presenting his paper, Ajekigbe explained that more people currently suffer cancer due to ignorance, which could be found in the type of food and medication people consume while trying to prevent or cure cancer.
His words: “Cancer is the only sickness that is social, spiritual, medical and psychological in nature. It is a disease that does not and cannot discriminate against the rich or the poor, men or women, young or old, educated or illiterate, etc.”
Ajekigbe, therefore, advised patients to learn how to manage it instead of subjecting themselves to depression and mourning while alive. He made a passionate appeal to the authorities to repair the malfuntional cancer machine in Enugu.
In his short speech, Bode said it takes more than one discipline to treat a cancer patient. He advised patients to have the will to live and have dignity in their approach to life. He assured them that no Nigerian suffering from the disease would be treated with neglect, even as he pleaded for financial support and appreciation of the patients by rich members of the society.
Mrs. Chika Nwabufo, a cancer patient, who came from Enugu to attend the programme, lamented what she had been passing through as a cancer patient. Apart from lack of finance to purchase expensive drugs, there was also the social stigma that cancer patients suffered in society, she said.
She pleaded for support from government, individuals, organisations and increase in awareness on the disease and its maintenance.