This archive report was first published on 17 September 2019.
On September 17, 2019, the World Health Organization (WHO) defined palliative care as an approach that improves the quality of life of patients and their families facing life-threatening illnesses.
Seeing a loved one in pain can be heartbreaking for a caregiver or family member, especially when they have little or zero knowledge about the illness their kin is suffering from.
According to Article 59 of the Constitution, the Kenya National Human Rights and Equality Commission promotes respect for human rights and develops a culture of human rights in the public.
However, a majority of Kenyans do not know that a caregiver should consult a palliative care institution immediately their loved one is diagnosed with a life-threatening illness.
Ms. Eunice Victoria, a communications consultant at P&L Consulting, shares her personal experience with palliative care after her mother was diagnosed with a terminal illness.
Thanks to the internet, Ms. Victoria's sister was able to reach out to a palliative care institution through a Google search, easing their burden significantly.
The Kenya Hospice and Palliative care Association (KEHPCA) gives key components of the right to health in the context of palliative care, including availability, accessibility, and affordability of palliative care services and products.
KEHPCA also emphasizes the importance of skilled medical personnel, scientifically approved drugs, hospital equipment, safe water, and adequate nutrition in palliative care facilities.
There are various hospice and palliative care services centres in Kenya, including Baraka Medical Centre, Nairobi Hospice, AIC Litein Mission Hospital, MP Shah Hospital - Cancer Care Centre, and Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital - Palliative Care Unit.
The government and other stakeholders in the health industry should ensure that hospice and palliative care institutions have enough funding, form policies, guidelines, pathways, and protocols for proper access of palliative care and support for the provision of goods, especially painkillers, to take care of the terminally ill.
There should also be a push for advocacy and awareness at the public and institutional level for palliative care and support.
