Since then, the centre has been actively engaged not only in developing a replicable model service but also pursuing awareness creation amongst health professionals and the community at large. It has also organized education and training programmes, seminars and workshops, and initiating research activities.
Team and partners
CPC, which has very recently been declared as an independent wing affiliated to Internal Medicine, has a dedicated team comprising 10 doctors, 15 nurses and a team of ancillary staff provided by the university.
The university authority assigned Professor Nezamuddin Ahmad as the first Professor of Palliative Medicine at BSMMU. He is currently the only professor of palliative medicine in Bangladesh.
Our partnerships with the Worldwide Hospice Palliative Care Alliance, and altruistic funding from two organisations: ‘Rotary Club of Metropolitan Dhaka’ and ‘Afzalunnessa Foundation’ has enabled us to recruit additional key team members: a clinical pharmacist, home care coordinator, research officer, field coordinators and palliative care assistants (PCAs).
Services provided
The service incorporates in-patient, out-patient and day care facilities, a weekly lymphoedema clinic as well as a 24/7 telephone service and a home care service.
In 2015, a total of 1713 consultations were given in out-patient (OP) out of which 756 were newly registered patients and 957 for the old patients.
The Centre accommodates 18 beds in the in-patient ward where, in 2015, a total of 436 patients were admitted. It has a one bed day care service, particularly for blood transfusion, ascites tapping, wound management and morphine trial for pain management. In this one bed, in 2015 only 67 patients were served by the centre.
The weekly lymphoedema clinic run on Monday, served 72 patients in 2015.
The 24/7 telephone service for the registered patients of CPC received 937 calls from the patients in 2015.
In the same year, CPC organized home care service for 328 patients in 2015. The telephone and home care service is being supported by a benevolent funding from Rotary Club of Metropolitan Dhaka and also from individual donations.
Education & training
CPC has organised many education and training initiatives since its inception:
- a total of 15 cohorts of the six-week Basic Certificate Course in Palliative Medicine for Doctors (97 participants)
- nine batches of six-week Basic Certificate Course in Palliative Nursing for registered Nurses (58 participants)
- 31 batches of seven to 15 days Foundation Course in Palliative Care for Doctors (377 participants)
- 20 batches of three days’ Introductory Course in Palliative Care for Doctors and Nurses (354 participants)
- 21 batches of three days Introductory Course in Palliative Care for Community Volunteers (322 participants); and
- one batch of three days Introductory Course in Palliative Care for Family Members (11 participants).
Most of these training programs were organized during 2014 and 2015 supported by a Higher Education Quality Enhancement Program grant from University Grant Commission (UGC).
In 2015, CPC organized a Workshop on the theme: “Palliative Care: Why we need it in Health Policy!” with the media personnel.
Working in the urban slums
To take palliative care initiative outside the institutional territory into the community, CPC has been running a project activity in Collaboration with the Worldwide Hospice Palliative Care Alliance (WHPCA) in Korail and Agargaon Slum. The main aim of the project is to improve the quality of life of 100 older people suffering from life limiting diseases.
CPC has been taking a leading role in research activities. A situation analysis of palliative care in Bangladesh was completed in 2014 and published in 2015. This was supported by the National Institute of Population Research and Training (NIPPORT) under the ministry of Health and Population Control.
National and international links
CPC has close links with a number of regional and international organisations, such as the Institute of Palliative Medicine (IPM) in Calicut, Kerala, India; Asia Pacific Hospice and Palliative Care Network (APHN) in Singapore, Touching Souls International (TSI) based in USA, and The Worldwide Hospice Palliative Care Alliance (WHPCA).
A joint research Collaboration with the Glasgow University End of Life project and REHPA in Denmark is under process.
Nationally it has links with the Rotary Club of Metropolitan Dhaka (RCMD) and Afzalunnessa Foundation.
Specialty recognition of Palliative Medicine
In 2015, Palliative Medicine was been recognised as a medical specialty, and three residents have been admitted in the residency program at BSMMU. Bangladesh becomes the youngest member of 46 countries where Palliative Medicine has specialty status.
Vision
The vision of CPC is to spread palliative care knowledge and skills among the health professional as well as in the community, and aims at incorporating the palliative care in the mainstream health care system. This is exactly in support of the resolution WHA 67.19, adopted at the 67th World Health Assembly in May 2014, and supported by the Government of Bangladesh as a member state. The report also recommends development of national guidelines for palliative care.
We believe that reducing pain and suffering at the end of life, and facilitating a good death should be given due priority in the face of incurability. Palliative care is a basic human right, and must be upheld as such in Bangladesh.
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