Nairobi Hospice in collaboration with Oxford Brookes University (OBU) based in the United Kingdom held a graduation ceremony in Nairobi for its diploma in higher education in palliative care class.
Addressing the graduands and their relatives, the chairperson of Nairobi Hospice Dr Sobbie Mulindi commended the tireless effort; support and encouragement of the teaching team from the hospice and the unwavering support from OBU that assisted the students achieve such great success.
“I have no doubt that your knowledge, skills and positive attitudes have been greatly enhanced so that you are competent practitioners, educators and advocates for palliative care wherever you will be.” Dr Mulindi said.
Dr Mulindi said palliative care education is key for better quality service to the patients and family.
“The need for palliative care services and education is enormous not only in Kenya but in the entire African region.” He said.
He added that the diploma course attracts students from the African region and beyond.
Dr Mulindi said that Nairobi Hospice intends to expand and strengthen education in palliative care among other focus areas.
“There are plans to carry out a needs assessment and curriculum development with a view to establish and run e-learning degree course in palliative care.” He said.
In preparation for this, Dr Mulindi said that three members of the teaching team are taking the online OBU Masters programme in palliative care.
He assured those who wish to advance in palliative care that there is a clear career progression run by OBU and the sky is the limit.
“You are now well equipped with the right attitude, knowledge and skills. Go forth and make a positive difference and impact to those patients and families. Be agents of change wherever you are, doing your best with whatever resources you have.” Dr Mulindi told the graduands.
The associate dean in the faculty of Health and Life Sciences at OBU Dr Ron Wondrak said that OBU’s commitment to supporting an international provision of palliative care and the close relationship with Nairobi Hospice team has borne wonderful fruit.
“It has been a rewarding relationship where both the university and the hospice have learned from each other over the years.” Dr Wondrank said.
He said that the success of this collaboration follows a challenge from the Chief Executive Officer of Nairobi Hospice Dr Brigid Sirengo that nurses and doctors in Africa might benefit from similar palliative care education opportunities just as their colleagues at Oxford Brookes University.
This followed a successful pilot in Nairobi where Brookes and Nairobi Hospice signed a formal agreement to work together in 2001 leading to this sixth cohort of Diploma in palliative care students from Africa, and the second one since the franchise was approved in 2008 for the hospice to lead and deliver the programmme.
“Caring for the sick and the vulnerable is a very great privilege. Your patients or clients let you into their lives in the most intimate way – sharing their hopes and fears and looking to you for help and support. Your contribution to their lives makes a difference. Your education and level of skill makes a difference to their lives. That makes you very special people indeed.” Dr Wondrak told the graduands.
He said that the aim of OBU founder John Henry Brookes ‘to graduate student to live lives of consequence’ is being realized through the graduands.
The presentation of the university awards was presided over by Dr Brigid Sirengo who commended the graduands for the effort that they have put in acquiring this great success.
The graduands expressed their sincere thanks to all tutors and mentors for helping them through teething problem saying that they helped them learn to search for information, broaden their knowledge and to apply it in their work, hence enriching their practice.
Dave Roberts, Senior Lecturer in Cancer & Palliative Care in the Faculty of Health Sciences at OBU coordinated the event as the Master of Ceremony and congratulated the graduands for the great achievement.
State of affairs
According to Dix and Powell (2011),
- In sub Saharan Africa, the need for palliative care is significant.
- An estimated 22.5 million people were living with HIV/AIDS in 2009– 67% of the global disease burden.
- There were 700,000 new cancer cases and nearly 600.000 cancer related deaths in Africa in 2007.
- Cancer rates on the continent are expected to grow by 40% over the next 50 years .
- As people’s lifestyles on the continent change, Africa may experience an increase in the incidence of chronic non-communicable diseases.
- Most Africans have no access to effective screening, early diagnosis, treatment or palliative care.
Policy brief on the situational analysis of cancer in Kenya shows that about 80,000 cases of cancer are diagnosed each year.
Statistics in Kenya indicate that about 82, 000 people die annually from various forms of cancer and the disease is rapidly becoming a major epidemic in Kenya, ranking the third among the main causes of death after infectious and heart related diseases.
The Ministry of Public Health and Sanitation and its Medical Services counterpart have put in place the National Cancer Control Strategy 2011 – 2016.
The strategy aims to cover the entire continuum of cancer prevention and control, promoting cancer prevention and early detection and improving diagnosis and treatment including palliative care.
The Ministry of Medical Services is working on rolling out palliative care in district hospitals after successfully integrating the same in 11 Level 5 Hospitals.
It is gratifying to note that a law has been passed to boost cancer treatment and care including palliative care practice and education.
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