A local medical expert has encouraged psychiatrists to work jointly with radiation oncologists in providing patients with the holistic care they need as they wrestle with physical and mental health issues.
Speaking yesterday at the 31st National Science and Technology Conference organised by the Scientific Research Council (SRC) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), psychiatrist Dr Geoffrey Walcott stated that patients who undergo radiation therapy often experience some level of anxiety, fear, and depression.
Walcott went on to say that due to this, patients require a certain degree of care, compassion, and empathy when doctors discuss with them diagnoses and treatment plans. This, he said, is because regardless of how well-adjusted a person is, this kind of news will undoubtedly begin to stir up some level of emotion and fear.
