A team of experts in palliative care, nursing and the medical training fraternity are working on the final touches to a palliative care curriculum, soon to be offered by the Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC). The experts include officers from Kenya Hospices and Palliative Care Association (KEHPCA), Nursing Council of Kenya (NCK) and KMTC. The process that lead to the conceptualization of the idea of a palliative care course in Kenya started three years ago with...

Nurses play a significant role in hospice/palliative care. In addition to the conventional nursing duties of observing and recording symptoms and treatments, they also provide emotional support to terminally ill patients and their families, through a series of roles. Who a nurse is PSYCHOLOGIST - Nurses are considered the best emotional supporters. They always guide patients through means of effective and therapeutic communication process. Whenever patients...

Community health care workers should have health literacy for better health care delivery in the devolved system of governance in Kenya.   This was the message from the Chair of Rwanda Medical and Dental Council (RMDC) Professor Emile Rwamasibiro while addressing delegates at the Kenya Medical Association (KMA) 41stAnnual Scientific Conference & Annual General meeting. Held at Lukenya in Machakos, the main theme of this year’s conference was;...

Hospices in Kenya and around the world need a significant amount of money to offer end of life care efficiently. The individuals behind fundraising go an extra mile in search of funds to meet their yearly budget but few understand the tactics they use in raising the required funds. As shared by Nyeri Hospice fundraising officer M/s Perister Murugi, seeking for funds can be an easy yet difficult task depending on the individual’s interest and passion in hospice...

The ministry of health has provided funding for the purchase of morphine to enhance palliative care among patients with life limiting illnesses. Speaking after a three-day training for pharmacists on palliative care, the Senior Deputy Chief Pharmacist in the Ministry of Medical Services Dr Elizabeth Ominde Ogaja said great progress has been made with regard to availing finances through its supplies division to purchase the pain management drug among others. “We...

Paralegals and health care workers from various parts of the country convened in Nairobi for a training as paralegals to offer legal support to patients and family members having problems associated with life threatening illness. The three day training for paralegal persons aimed at equipping participants with knowledge and give them an opportunity to respond to legal needs, guaranteeing those in need of palliative care that they have access to legal services and...

Dr Esther Cege Munyoro, head of the Palliative Care Unit at Kenyatta National Referral Hospital (KNH) and Dr Zipporah Ali of Kenya Hospices and Palliative Care Association (KEHPCA) were among participants at the recently held AAHPM/HPNA Annual Assembly which was held in New Orleans from 13th to 16th March 2013. The AAHPM/HPNA annual assembly is designed for physicians, nurses, and other healthcare providers interested in acquiring, maintaining, or expanding the...