Guidelines for the Management of Pain in Nigeria

Guidelines standardize the assessment, classification, and treatment of pain across Nigerian healthcare levels. They target doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and patients with acute or chronic pain. This improves pain relief while minimizing risks from medication misuse.

What Is This Policy?

A national clinical guideline that standardizes the assessment, classification, and treatment of pain across all healthcare levels in Nigeria, promoting the appropriate use of analgesics including opioids for moderate to severe pain.

Who Does It Target?

Doctors, nurses, and pharmacists at all levels of care Palliative care and oncology teams Surgical and emergency departments Patients experiencing acute and chronic pain

What Does It Aim to Achieve?

Improve pain management across Nigeria's healthcare system by providing evidence-based protocols that ensure patients receive adequate pain relief while minimizing risks of medication misuse.

Key Features

Pain Assessment Tools: Standardized scales for rating pain intensity in adults and children WHO Analgesic Ladder: Step-wise approach from non-opioids to weak and strong opioids based on pain severity Opioid Access: Guidance on prescribing, dispensing, and monitoring opioid medications Special Populations: Protocols for managing pain in children, the elderly, and patients with sickle cell disease Palliative Care Integration: Pain management within the context of end-of-life care

Current Status

Rollout Stage: Active across health facilities Coverage: All tiers of the healthcare system Lead Agency: Federal Ministry of Health Partners: WHO, Hospice and Palliative Care Association of Nigeria, development partners

How to Access

The guideline is distributed to health facilities through the Federal Ministry of Health and training programmes. Obtain from the Federal Ministry of Health or state health authorities Access through palliative care training workshops Available through WHO Nigeria publications

Official Resources

Website: health.gov.ng Contact: Federal Ministry of Health, Abuja

Legal Framework

Issued under the authority of the Federal Ministry of Health pursuant to the National Health Act 2014 and the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) clinical practice guidelines. Operates alongside the NAFDAC Act for controlled pain medicines (opioids), the Dangerous Drugs Act, and the National Drug Policy. Aligns with WHO guidelines on palliative care and pain management and the UN Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs (for controlled analgesics).