Palliative care in children with advanced HIV/AIDS

Chunda, R; Lavy, Vicky

doi:10.4314/mmj.v17i2.10878

Cited by 2 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 0 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Population pyramids in every African country are weighted heavily with young people under the age of 15. The provision of palliative care for children is a major challenge, and includes supporting children who are caring for their parents or siblings, or are bereaved 7 21. The number of dedicated children's palliative care programmes can be counted on one hand.…”

Section: Challenges Now Facing Palliative Care In Africa and Potentiamentioning

confidence: 99%

Palliative care in Africa since 2005: good progress, but much further to go

Grant

Downing

Namukwaya

et al. 2011

BMJ Support Palliat Care

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

There has been rapid progress in palliative care in Africa since the World Health Assembly in 2005 which identified palliative care as an urgent humanitarian need. Palliative care is now recognised as a basic human right, and momentum has gathered to translate this into action. From being significantly present in only five countries in 2004, palliative care is now delivered in nearly 50% of African countries. Even so, still less than 5% of people in need currently receive it, and with an estimated 300% increase in the need for palliative care for people with non-communicable diseases over the next 20 years, and with those living with HIV needing more prolonged support, the demand for palliative care will continue to outpace supply. African countries adopting a public health approach and networking together through palliative care associations are beginning to embed and integrate palliative care into health systems and communities. Current challenges are to increase coverage while maintaining quality, to develop dynamic and flexible responses to the changing illness patterns in Africa, and to counter false beliefs. Resourcefulness and harnessing new technologies such as mobile phones while respecting cultural traditions, may be the way forward. The authors review recent progress in policy, service provision and training initiatives in Africa, illustrate the current situation at grass roots level from a recent evaluation of programmes in Kenya, Malawi and Uganda, analyse the current urgent challenges and suggest some ways ahead.

show abstract

Section: Challenges Now Facing Palliative Care In Africa and Potentiamentioning

confidence: 99%