The University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, has launched a support group for people living with spinal cord injuries as part of efforts to improve their psychological, emotional and overall well-being.
The support group, established by the hospital’s Department of Neurosurgery, will provide a platform for patients with similar experiences to interact, communicate and support one another beyond the hospital environment.
The initiative was unveiled at a symposium organised by the department’s Holistic Round Team to commemorate this year’s World Spinal Cord Injury Day.
The event, themed: ‘From Awareness to Action’, brought together healthcare professionals involved in the multidisciplinary management of spinal cord injury patients.
Speaking at the symposium, pioneer of the Holistic Round Team and keynote speaker, Prof. Adefolarin Malomo, called for a comprehensive approach to the treatment and rehabilitation of people living with spinal cord injuries.
Malomo, a neurosurgeon, said caring for spinal cord injury patients should go beyond surgical intervention and physical rehabilitation, stressing the need to address their psychological, emotional and broader biopsychosocial needs.
He said healthcare professionals must ensure that patients were not only treated for their physical injuries but also supported in dealing with the wider challenges associated with living with spinal cord injury.
“It is not only fixing their bones as surgeons and every other healthcare worker playing their roles, but also going further in ensuring that they are holistically taken care of,” he said.
The Deputy Chairman, Medical Advisory Committee, representing the UCH management, Prof. Sesan Oluwasola, commended the Holistic Round Team for the initiative.
Oluwasola said the hospital management had consistently supported efforts aimed at addressing the welfare and overall well-being of patients.
Also speaking, the Assistant Director of Nursing, Public Health Nursing Department, UCH, Omobosede Ayebameru, said the theme of the symposium was a call for healthcare professionals and members of the public to move beyond awareness to concrete action.
She said concerted efforts were required both to prevent spinal cord injuries and to provide comprehensive care for people already living with the condition.
“We want to take active steps in preventing spinal cord injury and managing our patients who are already spinal cord injured,” Ayebameru said.
She explained that the new support group would enable patients to share experiences, communicate with one another and provide mutual support.
According to her, the group will operate through WhatsApp, allowing members to remain connected and build relationships even after leaving the hospital.
Ayebameru said the initiative was part of the Holistic Round Team’s broader efforts to provide spinal cord injury patients with support beyond conventional hospital-based care.
Dr Olaoluwa Akinbo, who represented the Head of the Department of Neurosurgery, Prof. James Balogun, said the initiative highlighted the importance of a coordinated approach to managing spinal cord injuries.
The Holistic Round Team comprises professionals from neurosurgery, nursing, clinical psychology, physiotherapy and medical social work, among other disciplines, working together to address the medical, physical, psychological and social needs of spinal cord injury patients.