Doctor clarifies palliative care after Ogogo’s daughters claim hospitals refused treatment

A Nigerian doctor has stepped in to clarify the concept of palliative care after the daughters of veteran actor Taiwo Hassan, known as Ogogo, claimed hospitals had refused to continue treating their father, who is battling stage-four cancer.

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They don’t want to treat my father again. This is a dangerous statement and can set the tide against the medical team treating her Dad.

Dr. Olusina Ajidahun, identified on X as The Bearded Dr Sina, stated that the daughters' description of their father's treatment could be misleading. He explained that when patients have stage-four cancer and available therapies like chemotherapy have been explored, they may be moved to palliative care. This form of care focuses on managing symptoms and ensuring a good quality of life for the patient's remaining time, rather than attempting to cure the incurable disease.

Ajidahun warned that framing the situation as hospitals refusing treatment could create a negative perception of healthcare workers and potentially incite hostility. "Saying they don’t want to treat my father makes it look like they are intentionally rejecting him," he said, adding that in the current climate, such statements could "trigger an insurrection and put a bad label on health care workers."

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Saying they don’t want to treat my father makes it look like they are intentionally rejecting him, and in the context of recent happenings in the health sector, it can trigger an insurrection and put a bad label on health care workers.

The doctor also advised the public against recommending unverified herbal remedies for stage-four cancer. He stressed that such concoctions are unlikely to treat advanced cancer and could instead damage more organs, cause complications, and lead to wasted money. "There are no herbs that will treat a 4 stage cancer," he asserted.

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IF YOU HAVE HERBS that treat cancer. Don’t do this.. There are no herbs that will treat a stage 4 cancer. These concoctions will end up damaging more organs and causing more complications. You’d end up wasting money and causing more problems.

Emphasizing that stage-four cancer signifies the disease has spread beyond its original site, Ajidahun urged patients and their families to work closely with their medical teams. He expressed sympathy for Ogogo's family and hoped they would collaborate with the doctors treating the actor, clarifying that he was not involved in Ogogo's care but commenting independently on the situation.

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People need to understand that Stage 4 cancer means the cancer has left the primary organ and gone to other sites. Your Doctor knows what’s best, and it is good you work hand in hand with the team to give the best productivity.