The Medical Director, Alimosho General Hospital, Igando, Dr. Samuel Ayodapo Soyinka, has charged all healthcare providers to show more empathy for patients under their care.
Dr. Soyinka made the call during the facility’s monthly staff Continuous Medical Education (CME), with the theme “Management of Early Breast Cancer and Empathy in Healthcare Delivery”.
He explained that there is a need for healthcare providers to show a deeper level of emotion and empathy to patients, especially those in pain, angry or depressed due to their afflictions.
His words: “It is one thing to recognise patients’ feelings, it another to understand and share in their problems, then proffer prompt and appropriate response as well as going the extra mile to ensure their comfort”.
In his presentation, Dr. Emmanuel Adesoji, a Surgeon, while speaking on the risk factors of breast cancer, explained that there are natural lifestyle factors predisposing an individual to breast cancer such as race, age, gender, personal history of breast disease, inherited gene, family history, radiation, obesity and smoking among others.
Noting that the black race is more predisposed to breast cancer, Adesoji emphasised that post-ovulation monthly self-breast examination is very key to the management of early or onset of breast cancer in patients.
On his part, Dr. Saheed Ahmad, a Consultant General Surgeon, said lifestyle modification, self-breast examination and early presentation to the hospital are very imperative for successful management of breast cancer, stressing the need for regular self-examination.
He said, “You are the first to notice any changes in your body, beware of painless swelling as this deceives and poses more danger than swelling that comes with pains. We must all know that breast cancer is not a death sentence, provided it is presented and managed early enough”.
The Consultant, therefore, urged everyone, especially females beyond the age of 40 years, to ensure regular self-breast examination, lifestyle changes and prompt visit to the hospital on noticing a change in the breast, as this goes a long way to ensure zero or reduced rate of mortality in the management of breast cancer.
Mrs.Yemisi Oyinlola, the Service Improvement Officer, revealed that caregivers must show a lot of empathy to breast cancer patients as well as others under their care, adding that this can be done by showing compassion and being connected to the patient emotionally by putting oneself in the patient’s situation.
She encouraged all healthcare providers, irrespective of designation and cadre, to imbibe the culture of showing empathy to the patients in order to reduce anxiety, build trust, improve health outcomes and enhance job satisfaction.
