Traveling Scholars Program Report
Maboreje A. Ololade, Mrs.
Travel date: October 7, 2020
Name of Meeting/Event/Activity: 11th EAPC Research Congress - Online
Origin: Ibadan, Nigeria / Destination: Vilvoorde, Belgium
How was this meeting/activity helpful to you?
I want to firstly appreciate the IAHPC for the opportunity to be part of the congress. I have learnt that palliative care issues in Africa and Europe have similar approach to interventions despite the social-cultural differences and available resources. However, in Europe more attention is paid to the child patient and early referral to palliative care giving the child holistic care throughout the period of the illness than I have known. Research is vital for the exchange of knowledge in palliative care and enhancing better care for the palliative care patient. For this reason there must be better documentation of all procedures.
How will you new knowledge & acquired skills help in furthering your work in hospice and palliative care in your program/city/ or country?
I will further encourage members of the palliative care team at my workplace to intensify research work; this message would be passed across during departmental clinical meetings. I will raise awareness about palliative care to the public using my social media platforms e.g Facebook, whatsApp. As well as extend this to my local religious organization. I will intensify palliative care advocacy within my institution at the outpatient clinics and satellite clinic stations.
How IAHPC Traveling Scholars Program be improved in order to help other future traveling scholars?
I will advise that candidates who are consistent in their membership obligation from middle and low income countries are giving more selection opportunities as this will enhance uniformity in the basic standard of the palliative care services rendered. I will also advise that most of our meetings should henceforth be virtual as it encourages more participation especially for people that may not be opportune to travel for on-site attendance. In the attendance profile name of countries in attendance should be reflected to enhance networking among attendees.
Narrative summary highlighting the needs and challanges you face
The challenges facing palliative care in my country is lack of adequate government support for palliative care specialist as there is no educational provision for palliative care. Palliative Care is not inculcated adequately in the health care curriculum in the country. The palliative care specialist have minimal or no support for training as there is no institution yet in my country that offers Palliative care as a specialty so specialist seek training outside the country on self-sponsors. There are only few facilities that provide palliative care service as provision are not made in our institutions. There is also the challenge of minimal analgesic(step 2and 3 analgesic ladder) in the country and the opioids are only available in few institutions in the country as many physician avoid to prescribe it for the fear of addiction even when patient are in severe pain. To overcome this challenges the team will intensify our advocacy through workshop and the media involving health talk shows on the television and radio and sending palliative care information via the different social media. There will also be intensified research works that be published in different health journals in order to spread the information of palliative care services and also involvement in international communities.