A decade later, after the WHOs resolution on palliative care urging countries 🌍 to strengthen Palliative Care (PC) as part of comprehensive care throughout the life course, we reflect on how far we’ve come at Vihiga County Referral Hospital in Palliative Care Provision.

Palliative Care in 2014: Where We Started

When we began our palliative care journey in 2014, services were minimal. While essential drugs were available, there was widespread fear among healthcare workers regarding the prescription and administration of these drugs. This gap in knowledge and skills led to basic palliative care services being offered primarily by occupational therapists, physiotherapists, nurses, and clinicians, but at a minimal level.

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Palliative Care in 2024: Our Progress

Over the past decade, we’ve made significant strides in the provision of palliative care services, thanks to the dedication and hard work of our team. Some key achievements include:

• Changing Perceptions: We’ve transformed the mindset of healthcare workers towards palliative care, fostering confidence in pain and symptom management. This shift has improved the quality of life for our patients and demystified common myths and misconceptions about life-limiting and life-threatening conditions.
• Expanded Services:
  • Home-Based Care: The team now conducts regular home visits, ensuring that patients receive care in the comfort of their own homes.
  • Cancer Patient & Caregiver Support Groups: We’ve established a support group for cancer patients and their caregivers, who meet quarterly to share experiences and encourage one another.
  • Support for Caregivers of Children: Families caring for children with conditions such as autism, cerebral palsy, and sickle cell disease now have access to a dedicated support group.
  • Capacity Building: Continuous Medical Education (CME) sessions on pain and symptom management have empowered our healthcare workers with critical knowledge.

Looking Ahead

As we commemorate the 10th anniversary of the WHO’s palliative care resolution, we celebrate our achievements and the lives we’ve touched. We’re proud to be part of #PCMashinani and are committed to making palliative care accessible to all.

Together, we will continue amplifying our collective voice to make palliative care everyone’s business!