The Federal Government has urged hospitals and other healthcare facilities not to discharge cancer patients who still require hospital-based care, stressing that treatment and supportive services must continue even when a cure is no longer possible.
The National Coordinator of the National Cancer Control Plan at the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Dr Uchechukwu Nwokwu, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja on Friday.
Nwokwu said a healthcare facility’s inability to provide further curative treatment should not automatically lead to a patient being sent home without arrangements for continued care.
He explained that where a hospital lacked the capacity or resources to provide the required treatment, the patient should be promptly referred to another appropriate facility to ensure continuity of care.
“Even when there is no bed space, you should refer that person to where that care can be continued,” he said.
According to him, a cancer patient should only be discharged when medically stable, able to take prescribed treatment orally and unlikely to require further intervention or close monitoring.
“No matter how bad the situation looks, being bad is all the reason you should be in the hospital,” Nwokwu said, urging healthcare providers to prioritise patients’ ongoing care needs.
He explained that cancer treatment varies depending on the type and stage of the disease and the individual patient’s clinical condition. Treatment options may include surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and targeted therapy.
However, Nwokwu acknowledged that there are cases of advanced cancer where curative treatment may no longer be feasible, particularly when the disease has spread to other parts of the body.
He stressed that the end of curative treatment should not mean the end of medical care, as patients would still require appropriate support, including effective management of pain and other distressing symptoms.
“The patient is entitled to peaceful death. A pain-free death. Even if you can no longer provide treatment that is aimed at cure, the patient should not die in pain,” he said.
Why Palliative Care Matters
Nwokwu said palliative care was critical in managing advanced cancer but should not be regarded as something reserved only for patients at the end of life or those who had exhausted all treatment options.
He said the National Palliative Care Policy provides for the integration of palliative care from the point of diagnosis throughout the course of illness and until the end of life.
“We are not trying to say start palliative care when it is now hopeless, no, palliative care should be instituted within six weeks of diagnosis,” he said.
According to him, palliative care goes beyond treating physical symptoms. It also addresses the psychological, social, financial and spiritual challenges that may accompany cancer and its treatment.
He noted that a cancer diagnosis could affect a patient’s employment, family income and ability to meet treatment costs. Fear of losing a job, he added, could even discourage some patients from disclosing their condition.
These challenges may make it difficult for patients to begin treatment, remain on therapy or complete their prescribed treatment, ultimately affecting outcomes and quality of life.
Nwokwu therefore advocated the early integration of palliative care into cancer management to help patients cope with the disease while receiving appropriate treatment and support.
He said spiritual support could also form part of a patient’s care, depending on the individual’s beliefs and preferences, but should complement rather than replace medical treatment.
“The person needs to be part of the patient’s care pattern, so that they can be counselled and understand that whatever he or she believes in can also be part of the healing process,” he said.
“In other words, while you receive treatment, medical care, you can also get that psychological and spiritual care.”
Families Also Need Support
The coordinator stressed that families should be involved in the care process because cancer can have significant emotional and financial consequences for the wider family.
He said treatment decisions, financial pressures and the emotional burden of caring for a cancer patient could affect relatives and caregivers, making family support an important part of comprehensive cancer care.
Nwokwu also identified pain management as a key component of palliative care. He noted that radiotherapy could, in some circumstances, be used to relieve pain and other symptoms even when the goal was no longer to cure the cancer.
He warned that delaying palliative care could make it more difficult for patients to cope with the disease and potentially affect their ability to start, continue and complete treatment.
Nwokwu called for a continuum of cancer care that keeps patients within the healthcare system and provides appropriate support based on the stage and progression of the disease and the patient’s changing needs.
He maintained that even when curative treatment is no longer possible, patients deserve care that protects their comfort, dignity and quality of life through the end of life.
