Strengthening and Integrating Palliative Care in Africa - A Global Public Health Care Perspective

Medicine and palliative care in Africa

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This book successfully makes the connection between two networks. It aims to equip readers with holistic palliative care for patients with terminal illness and the need for continuous development of an in-depth knowledge on how to make substantial improvements in healthcare system. Additionally, it focuses on the role of health and human values associated with ageing populations, whilst addressing their human rights, access to healthcare services and the provision of quality care at every stage of illness and end of life care. As people struggle against diseases such as cancer and HIV/AIDS epidemics, questions that arise are, how can healthcare services be improved across regions in Sub- Saharan Africa? Therefore, this book attempts to address the way terminal diseases and conditions painfully afflict older people today both physically and emotionally. As a result, pain management becomes a major priority in addressing the needs of people with terminal illness.The book also embraces the understanding of a narrative model of illness and experience towards community home-based palliative care as collaborative framework to target engagement with a range of new roles and responsibilities in pursuing healthcare outcomes in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).
However, limitations in palliative care in relation to service gaps in rural/remote regional areas in Africa show ill-equipped clinical facilities, decline in palliative specialist care service, educational awareness and perceived lack of social support for the marginalised, stigmatised, vulnerable, as well as those dying at home. Older people in recent times are beginning to represent a large proportion of the general population across cultures and have become a major area of palliative care programme in many parts of the world. The book draws together data on the position of older people as the least prepared to confront the challenges of rapidly ageing societies and they should remain an integral part of collaborative community based on palliative care with emphasis on their health and social care in Africa.Wide-ranging recommendations advise fundamental change in the concept of palliative care, the way support and services are organised and the day-to-day practice of palliative care.There seems to be a degree of inertia and even unwillingness to face up to the challenges and overcome the barriers of making available cost effective agents the developing palliative care groups can deliver to patients.
A greater concerted effort is required by policy makers, health authorities and the World Health Organisation (WHO) to deliver something incredibly important for patients and families. Drawn from a wide range of academic, policy and practice settings as well as life experience, this book is essential for care practitioners, students and educators in the field of palliative medicine and other professions.