Traveling Scholars Program Report
Jamila Akua, Ms.
Travel date: June 7, 2021
Name of Meeting/Event/Activity: Initiator Course In Country Placement
Origin: Sunyani, Guyana / Destination: Kampala, Uganda
How was this meeting/activity helpful to you?
My journey through the palliative initiators course in Uganda was filled with great experiences amidst the era of a surge in covid-19 infections in Uganda. The format of the training was scheduled and planned to meet the current covid-19 protocols observed in the country. Due to the restrictions in the country, most of our presentations and meetings were done via zoom. Other covid-19 protocols such as hand sanitation and the use of face masks were strictly observed at the Hospice. The scheduled activities and meetings on this course has broadened my knowledge on the scope of palliative care, use of technology and improved on my research skills. An opportunity to meet with the key stakeholders of APCA and PCAU created an awareness of the existence of such associations, its importance, and the various forms of support they provide to palliative care providers in Uganda and Africa as a whole, especially the championing of the production and availability of oral morphine in the management of pain in cancer patients
How will you new knowledge & acquired skills help in furthering your work in hospice and palliative care in your program/city/ or country?
Set up of a palliative care unit in the facility and create the awareness of such services in the Region. Train and form multidisciplinary team in the facility. Production of oral morphine in the facility. Advocate for cancer patients. Enforce and form pain management team in the facility
How IAHPC Traveling Scholars Program be improved in order to help other future traveling scholars?
Sponsor scholars fully.
Narrative summary highlighting the needs and challanges you face
Palliative care services in my country is limited to the hospitals in the southern part of the country, basically in Accra and Kumasi. Most health workers and people are not aware of the importance of palliative care services and therefore, under utilize its services and purpose. Due to this limitation, needing patients and their relatives are not able to receive such services. It can also be related to the distance to cover from the northern part to any of the facilities that provide such services. There is no follow up on referred patients to palliative care units. These limitations can be solved by: 1) Increasing the awareness of palliative care services via the social media (radio, etc). 2) Set up of palliative care unit in our facility and other facilities in the Regional Capitals of the country at least. 3) Formation of Palliative Care Association Ghana to strengthen the existence of palliative care services in the country.