ORIGINAL: Climate Change and Force Majeure on Childhood Oncology Services in a Low Resource Setting: Experience from a Tertiary Institution in Nigeria

West Afr J Med. 2023 October; 40 (10): 1067-1071 PMID: 37906683

Abstract

Childhood cancer patients are a vulnerable population who are adversely affected by any disaster that disrupts the healthcare ecosystem. The objective of this study was to describe the impact of flooding on access to care for childhood cancer patients in Bayelsa state, southern Nigeria. We review the effect of the 2022 flooding on childhood cancer care at the paediatric oncology unit of the Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital, southern Nigeria. The devastating floods caused closure of the health facility for four weeks. The challenges faced by the oncology patients included inability to access the facility due to destruction of roads and telecommunication networks, inaccessibility to chemotherapy drugs, postponement of surgeries, parental financial constraints due to income loss occasioned by the flood and worsened by inadequate health insurance. Two children, who were undergoing chemotherapy for rhabdomyosarcoma and retinoblastoma had their care transferred to an unaffected secondary care facility 24km away. Through teamwork and determination, the oncology team was able to overcome various obstacles to provide uninterrupted care for the patients and improve on future patient care during disasters. Care for childhood cancer patients should be prioritized by healthcare facilities especially in predictable flood prone areas like Bayelsa state. Emphasis should be on disaster preparedness training, development of outstations equipped with patient information, chemotherapy drugs and other requirements for continued care to prevent adverse childhood cancer care outcomes.