Tea break reading: African palliative care in the news

10^th May – 16^th May 2014

News and views:

Editor’s pick:

Global: A charter for the rights of the dying child – The Lancet reports on a project to develop a charter for the rights of children approaching the end of their lives which was launched in Italy in September 2012 and is now nearing completion. International Children’s edition of ehospice.
Global: New project will monitor the price of opioids around the world – The International Association for Hospice and Palliative Care (IAHPC) has announced the roll-out of Opioid Price Watch, a project to monitor and report on the dispensing price of opioids around the world. International edition of ehospice.
Uganda: Deeply flawed HIV bill approved – The HIV Prevention and Control Act passed by the Ugandan parliament on May 13, 2014, is discriminatory and will impede the fight against AIDS, Human Rights Watch, HEALTH Global Advocacy Project, and Uganda Network on Law, Ethics & HIV/AIDS said today. Human Rights Watch or the report in the Daily Monitor.

Elsewhere in the news:

Global: Nurse reveals the top 5 regrets people make on their deathbed – When patients were questioned about any regrets they had or anything they would do differently, common themes surfaced again and again. Here are the most common five. TIP News.
Africa: First five African Pain Policy Fellows announced – Five Fellows from Ethiopia, Ghana, Rwanda, Sudan and Zambia are to receive training to become in-country champions to improve patient access to pain medicines. International edition of ehospice.
Africa: ehospice short-listed in The Charity Awards – ehospice – the palliative care news website and app that shares knowledge and best practice among hospice and palliative care professionals around the world – has made it to the short-list of The Charity Awards, Civil Society Media’s annual awards. Sierra Express Media.
Africa: Meet the staff behind the palliative care organization – At ehospice we believe in the importance of highlighting the work that everyone involved in palliative care does. As such, the editor of the Africa edition of ehospice, Steve hynd, recently caught up with Maria Kizito, the Finance and Grants Officer at the African Palliative Care Association (APCA), to find out what motivates her to work in palliative care. Africa edition of ehospice.
Kenya: Brookside gives donations to Nakuru Cancer patients – Kenyans have been asked to go for early diagnosis of cancer so that it can be managed in its early stages. Nakuru Hospice CEO, Elizabeth Ndung’u, said early diagnosis enables medics to offer palliative care to patients suffering from the disease. The Star.
Uganda: HIV organisations feel the bite of Anti-Homosexuality Legislation – Barely three months after Uganda’s draconian Anti-Homosexuality Act was signed into law it has started to bite, with civil society organisations under investigation for “promoting homosexuality”. All Africa.

Research:

South Africa: A qualitative study: potential benefits and challenges of traditional healers in providing aspects of palliative care in rural South Africa – This article draws on selected palliative care providers’ views and experiences to reflect on the potential benefits and possible challenges of involving traditional healers in palliative care in rural areas of South Africa. The Journal of Rural and Remote Health

Jobs, awards and events:

Global: #HPMGlobal twitter chat. Join Jim Cleary on twitter at 3pm (East Africa Time) every Monday to discuss the latest global palliative care issues. Twitter
Global: 20th International AIDS Conference – The conference will be held from 20-25 July 2014 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, in Melbourne, Australia and will represent a tremendous opportunity to highlight the diverse nature of the Asia Pacific region’s HIV epidemic and the unique responses to it. International AIDS Society.
Global: World Congress of Psycho-Oncology – The congress, which will be based around the theme of ‘Integrating phsycho-oncology into mainstream cancer care; from research into action’, will bring together experts from around the world to discuss new perspectives in clinical care, new data from research, innovative educational programs, advocacy, organisational issues and cancer policies. It is to beheld in Lisbon, Portugal from 20 to 24 of October 2014. International edition of ehospice.
Global: African health forum – Astrategic meeting between african and international decision makers. Geneva 16-17^th May 2014. AHF.
Africa: Find all the latest jobs in palliative care and related fields – Visit ehospice’s job site to see the latest jobs in palliative care. African edition of ehospice.
South Africa: HPCA 2014 Conference – Who Cares? Improving patient outcomes – The conference will be held between the 15^th and 18^th September 2014 at the Lagood Beach Hotel in Cape Town. More details on the HPCA Conference Website.
Kenya: The 4th Kenya National Palliative Care Conference 2014 – Kenya Hospices and Palliative Care Association (KEHPCA) is delighted to announce the 4th National Palliative Care Conference scheduled to take place from 12th to 14th November 2014 at Laico Regency Hotel in Nairobi. KEHPCA.
Nigeria: Palliative Care Officer, Access to Health Officer – Heartland Alliance International- Nigeria a service based human rights organization, is currently recruiting to fill the positions listed below. Deadline for applications is the 23^rd May 2014. Badetu.com.
Nigeria: 54th Society of Physiotherapy Annual Scientific Conference and General Meeting – the sub-theme for this year’s conference is ‘The Role of Physiotherapy in Palliative Care for Terminally ill Patients’. It will take place in Asaba, Delta State between the 20^th and 25^th October 2014. NSP.
Uganda: Hospice health fair – Come to the grounds of Hospice Africa Uganda for their Hospice Health Fair from 10:00am on the 28^th May 2014. HAU.
Uganda: IHPCA open day – Come to Hospice Africa Uganda to learn what IHPCA can offer you from 2:00 to 5:00pm on the 26^th May 2014. HAU.