The University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, is training some doctors, nurses and other staffers on pain management to equip them to assess the condition and provide high-quality first line treatment.

Dr Adefemi Afolabi, Staff Champion Coordinator of the Pain-Free Hospital Initiative (PFHI), made the disclosure on Wednesday in Ibadan.

Afolabi, an endocrine surgeon, said the programme was being conducted in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health and the American Cancer Society.

According to him, the goal of PFHI is to equip staff to assess pain, provide high-quality first line treatment to improve on the overall access to essential pain medication in Nigeria.

He said that to effectively implement pain management in a healthcare system required more than just access to medicines.

“It requires an understanding of when and how to give pain medication and prioritisation of pain management as an essential part of care.

“Over the course of one year, PFHI is to train physicians, nurses, pharmacists and other healthcare providers on how to assess pain levels and dispense medication.

“The programme is to stress the importance of pain management for patients, specifically those suffering from pain-related to cancer and HIV,’’ he said.

He added that the primary goal was to actively raise the quality of life for every Nigerian through dedicated service delivery.

According to him, the PFHI is a pilot programme to strengthen the skills of health workers and equip them to provide high-quality pain treatment to their patients in line with International Treatment Guidelines.

“The project will ensure adequate supply of pain medicines at affordable rate in hospitals and will be used appropriately.

The project will be launched at a yet-to-be announced date after training has been completed,’’ he said.

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