Health
Pathology not all about dead bodies, says NIMR DG
A leading Nigerian forensic pathologist and Director-General of the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Yaba, Lagos, Prof. John Obafunwa, has debunked the widespread misconception that pathology only deals with examining dead bodies to determine the cause of death.
Obafunwa, a globally respected forensic expert and former Vice-Chancellor of Lagos State University, clarified that pathology is the study of disease, not merely the examination of dead bodies.
The researcher said pathology is a vital medical specialty that helps doctors understand the causes and progression of diseases, diagnose conditions accurately, and determine appropriate treatment for patients.
Speaking exclusively with PUNCH Healthwise, Obafunwa described pathology as the bedrock of medicine because it provides the scientific foundation for clinical practice and plays a critical role in patient management.
The Royal College of Pathologists, based in London, also defines pathology as the study of disease, corroborating Obafunwa’s position.
“It is the bridge between science and medicine. It underpins every aspect of patient care, from diagnostic testing and treatment advice to using cutting-edge genetic technologies and preventing disease,” the college added.
Debunking the myth, Obafunwa, with more than four decades of experience spanning academic medicine, forensic science and healthcare leadership, said Nigerians need to change their perception of pathology.
He noted that different branches of pathology deal with different diseases, stressing that only one branch, forensic pathology, deals with examining dead bodies to determine the cause and manner of death.
The don pointed out that pathologists are supposed to be consultants to other consultants, helping them investigate disease conditions presented by their patients and providing clinical guidance on patient management to improve treatment outcomes.
He maintained that people need to be aware of what pathology is all about and appreciate the work pathologists do in the clinical management of patients.
“So, we need to change this orientation for people to appreciate and understand the relevance of pathology to the practice of medicine. What I am saying, in essence, is that pathology is not all about dead bodies.
“We, pathologists, give information and diagnoses to our colleagues in other specialties to help them treat their patients,” he said.
The NIMR boss pointed out that in anatomic pathology, there is a branch that deals with dead bodies.
He explained, “Somebody has died as a result of a disease; you want to determine the extent of the disease and what killed the person so that you can teach the living and educate doctors on what to do should they come across that kind of situation again.
“Arising from that is a subspecialty of pathology, which is forensic pathology, and that is my subspecialty. After studying anatomic pathology, I went into forensic pathology.”
The professor also noted that people often confuse medical laboratory science with pathology, stressing that they are two distinct professions.
“Pathology is the study of diseases; it is not just a question of dead bodies. As pathologists, we are supposed to be consultants to other consultants. What do I mean?
“I’m a gynaecologist; I’m managing a patient with complaints of infertility. As part of my investigation, I want to know: Is this patient having an infection? Is this patient even ovulating or not?
“Now, you go in to do a D&C, take some samples from the endometrial lining, and send them to the pathologist. It is the pathologist who will look at them under the microscope and tell you whether the woman is ovulating or not. If you are giving the woman drugs for ovulation, the pathologist will tell you,” he said.
Giving more insight into pathology, the forensic pathologist noted, “Somebody has a breast lump; you take the lump and send it to the pathologist. The pathologist will tell you whether it is cancer or not, or whether it is something you can dismiss.
“Now, there is a skin disease; the dermatologist feels it is a particular disease condition, takes a bit of it, and sends it to the pathologist for evaluation. The pathologist will look at it under the microscope and say, ‘This is what it is.’
“All these have nothing to do with dead bodies. All that I have talked about so far concerns the histopathologist and anatomic pathologist.”
Speaking on the differences between pathology and radiology, the don said, “Radiology deals with X-rays and imaging techniques, whether it is a CT scan, MRI, imaging, forensic imaging or virtual autopsy. We use aspects of radiology and pathology to arrive at a diagnosis.
“Radiology and pathology form the bedrock of clinical diagnosis in patient management, but unfortunately, a lot of people don’t want to come into pathology,” he said.
On why young people are not entering the profession, the professor said pathology involves extensive reading and that some also perceive it as an unattractive profession in terms of financial rewards.
“You have to know about diseases in the various areas so that you can answer questions from your colleagues. It entails a lot.
“You are not interacting with patients; you spend so much time in the lab, and people don’t tend to appreciate it. People feel there is no money in pathology; it is not lucrative,” he said.
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