The Kenya Hospice and Palliative Care Association is pleased to announce a major investment by The Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund and the True Colours Trust to support the integration of palliative care into public health services in Kenya. The funding is through the Waterloo Coalition – a collaboration of donors and palliative care organisations working in Kenya and Malawi. The Ministry of Health has identified eleven public level 5 and provincial hospitals across the country in which to establish palliative care services for the care of patients with life-limiting illnesses.
This significant public-private partnership will focus on the development and implementation of a national training programme for the integration of palliative care into hospital services, the development and dissemination of comprehensive hospital palliative care guidelines, provision of technical support and mentorship for hospitals, and the measurement of the impact.
Over 220 health care professionals will be trained in palliative care throughout the programme, with eight established Kenyan hospices to mentor the newly emerging hospital palliative care units. The programme will ensure that local community healthcare professionals are aware of the new palliative care services at the hospital so that patients and families receive smooth and timely referrals.
KEHPCA project that the partnership will enable an additional 4,000 new adult cancer patients and 5,000 adult HIV / AIDS patients to receive high quality palliative care through the new hospital units in a period of one year. It is also projected that an additional 500 new paediatric cancer patients and 1,000 paediatric HIV / AIDS patients will receive palliative care through the new hospital units each year.
Dr. Zipporah Ali, National Coordinator of KEHPCA, explained ‘Effective palliative care results in patients spending more time at home and reduces the number of hospital inpatient days. It improves symptom management; provides patient, family and care giver satisfaction; reduces the overall cost of disease and improves quality of life of patients and family. This partnership will demonstrate and document these benefits and will highlight how palliative care can be used to strengthen the government health care system.’
Lucy Sainsbury, the Chair of True Colours Trust who are supporting the programme said ‘The Government of Kenya’s commitment to integrate palliative care into eleven public level 5 and provincial hospitals is commendable. We are delighted to be part of this partnership. It will help ensure that people with life-limiting illnesses across Kenya are able to access pain relief and symptom control.’
The Government of Kenya’s commitment to establish palliative care services in these hospitals will guarantee a more effective, efficient, and equitable health system. A working health system that includes palliative care services is vital to ensure widespread pain and symptom control and an improvement in the general care, support and quality of life for patients and families facing life-threatening illnesses in Kenya.
Bravo KEHPCA and all collaborators
This is exciting news. keep up the good work KEHPCA
This is great and welcome news.Our people will at long last access this importance care near their areas. My prayer is that this committment by the government will be matched by action that is allocation of resources,training of health personnel and availing the necessary equipments and medication.
Kenya has topped other African countries this year by launching a cancer bill Strategy guideline and the Cancer bill that was passed by our parliament.
Please walk the talk.
Gitonga Stephen.
Palliative Care Manager-Maua hospital
After completing a 5-day Palliative Care Training at the White Rhino Hotel – Nyeri, today,it is my conviction that there is an urgent need for all Medical and paramedical personnels to undergo the same training to close up the widening gap between them and the patients with “life-limiting illnesses”. I advice the individual hospitals to organize the seminar and involve the KEHPA staff for facilitating. Let us close this gap immediately! God Bless you all. Bildad