KEHPCA has been successful in securing a grant from Hospice Care Kenya to purchase 1.1 kg of oral morphine that will be shared among 11 Government Hospital Palliative Care Units across Kenya, ensuring those with life limiting illnesses in need of relief from severe pain are receiving effective medication.

Since 2010 KEHPCA has been working in partnership with the Ministry of Health towards establishing palliative care services within 11 government hospitals.  This has included training of health care professionals, equipping of new palliative care units and the development of Kenya’s first national palliative care guidelines.  Pain relief is a critical aspect of palliative care, and improves the quality of life of patients with a life limiting illness. For those in severe pain, oral morphine is the most effective form of pain relief, however, in Kenya oral morphine is extremely difficult to access.  While KEHPCA are working in partnership with the Government of Kenya and Kenya Medical Supplies Agency (KEMSA) to advocate for improved access to oral morphine at government hospitals this generous donation is critical to the patients currently needing such pain relief.

‘Before Meru Palliative Care Unit (M-PCU) was established, chronic pain management especially cancer related pain was a big problem. Cases of cancer patients screaming in the wards in agonising pain used to be a common occurrence, making health care providers (HCPs) feel helpless and inadequate.  KEHPCA donated 100gms of morphine powder and cases of patients screaming in the wards is now completed solved.

We would like to thank KEHPCA for their great support towards the success of M-PCU especially in the area of pain management.’ Dr Kanja, Meru Level 5 Hospital Palliative Care Unit.

100g of oral morphine is being distributed to each one of the 11 palliative care units to give valuable relief for their patients helping to ensure that each day is spent comfortably and without the burden of pain.