What do you do when your child is in pain and the only drug available is paracetamol? How do you prepare a terminally ill kid that he or she is dying? Should the kid have a right to ply with other kids even if no much time is left? Do they still have a right even if they are terminally ill and maybe dying?
These are some of the issues addressed in a recent report by the Human Rights Watch on needless pain and Kenya government’s failure to provide palliative care for children.
The report details some of the challenges that terminally ill children especially in rural ares have gone through and how inefficiencies in the medical supply chain has spelt doom for children.
Among the recommendations, the report calls for creation of palliative care units with expertise in children’s palliative care in district, provincial and national hospitals and raise awareness on their existence.
Policy development has been widely discussed and the human rights body wants the National Cancer Control and Prevention Bill and strategy to contain strong provisions addressing pain treatment.
Whether you are involved in palliative care, has a relative or neighbor facing these challenges, the report gives insights on the situation and what can be done. The book is available at the Kehpca resource center.
