An international five week course was organized for health workers initiating then on palliative care services in Francophone sub-Saharan Africa. The training was an intensive course for initiators of palliative care services in French speaking countries led by Hospice Africa Soins palliatifs France (HASPF) and the Institute of Hospice and Palliative Care in Africa based in Kampala with expert input by Hospice Africa Uganda and the French association Alliance Mondial Contre le Cancer.
The two objectives of the course were:
- Educational objectives: to allow carers to master the control of pain; to understand the application of basic palliative care principles; to become familiar with techniques used in the advocacy of oral morphine, applying for funding and controlling a budget; to acquire knowledge of the use of training materials (films, books, brochures) in order to transfer their acquired knowledge to other carers in their countries.
- South-South communication objectives: to reinforce the lines of communication between African carers particularly Francophone/Anglophone; develop a palliative care network south- south and south- north to increase awareness and obtain resources both human and financial to promote affordable palliative care.
The training took place in Uganda in April and May 2013 in the purpose built education building of Hospice Africa Uganda in Kampala. The training took advantage of the structure of the existing English language course for the theoretical and the practical parts. 27 students came from 9 different countries including, Senegal, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Togo, Niger, Burkina Faso, DRC, Rwanda and Burundi.
All students passed the exam and the course was a great success.
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