Travel date: August 16, 2016
Name of Meeting/Event/Activity: 5th International African Palliative Care Conference
Origin: Mtwara, Tanzania / Destination: Kampala, Uganda
I have attended many conferences on HIV and AIDS to make some presentation but it was my first time I attended a conference that is especially for Palliative Care; this is my specialty. I had the opportunity to meet the largest number of scholars, researchers, beneficiaries and others who are working hard to find the best way we could improve Palliative Care in Africa. I have this growing feeling that I am in fact, doing the right thing at the right time and at the right place. I had the time to appreciate the different efforts of different individuals and organizations to ensure that the World Health Organization gives weight to the different efforts of Palliative Care services and it was nice to see different governments states making efforts to confirm that palliative care is not only a privilege for few people but a human right for all. It was my first time in Uganda and I loved it so much especially for the many efforts that have been done in that Country in Palliative Care and I believe Tanzania has learnt a lot. I have also increased my network with other organizations and individuals all over the world.
New knowledge and skills for the staff and volunteers of UZIMA Project Ndanda: Since we have workshops on Palliative Care knowledge and skills every month at UZIMA, the many different experiences that I learnt from the conference will be discussed through those workshops and therefore, share what I learnt. I will also encourage the staff to take up palliative care studies as a priority in their future studies. Improvement of pharmacological support through accessing Morphine: I have realized that there are at of activities in UZIMA Project Ndanda that will be strengthened such as ensuring that we find possible means to access Morphine for our patients in a rural setting of Tanzania. Networking with the health Ministry: Since UZIMA Project Ndanda activities are in rural Tanzania, we are looking for means to ensure that the health ministry becomes aware with what we are doing because this is very important for the overall understand of the Palliative Care services in Tanzania. Opening the door to other volunteers and students: We would also open doors for different individuals who are interested to come and learn and making their own contributions to what we are doing in our organization
I would recommend that IAHPC should be introduced in many Social Welfare and Medical Schools so that students could learn out this important of this organization. This is will in turn attract many members and contributions thereby reaching many people who could learn and spread Palliative Care especially in Africa