The implementation of a psycho-oncology program at a cancer centre in Lagos, Nigeria

Abstract: Sub-Saharan Africa suffers from a severe shortage of psychiatrists, psychologists, and social workers making it difficult to provide adequate social and psychological support to cancer patients. This scarcity is often compounded with stigma associated with mental health, which further discourages individuals from seeking help. Establishing a psycho-oncology program at the Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority–Lagos University Teaching Hospital Cancer Center was an essential step in providing comprehensive cancer care tailored to the needs of cancer patients in West Africa. The center developed a psychotherapeutic care delivery model based on the National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines for treating psychological and psychiatric disorders and the proposed model from the National Cancer Control Program for providing psychosocial care in hospitals and communities for cancer patients and their families. Patients showing normal to mild distress (<4) are provided psychological support by the primary care team (the oncologists and oncology nurses). Patients with a distress score of ≥4 on the distress thermometer during any visit to the oncologist are directed to the appropriate supportive service (mental health, social work, counseling, or chaplaincy professionals) based on the identified issue. This article reports on the successful implementation of a pilot psycho-oncology program in a Sub-Saharan cancer center. Psycho-oncology care of people diagnosed and living with cancer is an important requirement for providing comprehensive cancer care. Future research will evaluate the program’s effectiveness and explore the factors contributing to distress among cancer patients in Nigeria and targeted interventions to enhance their overall well-being. We anticipate our research will add important novel information to the body of knowledge and stimulate more studies on psycho-oncology in the region, especially in underrepresented groups.