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 allowed 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 spoke about the “key” importance of palliative care education 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 added.
According to Dr Mulindi, 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, three members of the teaching team are pursuing the OBU online Masters programme in palliative care.
The associate dean in the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences at OBU, Dr Robert Wondrak, said that OBU’s commitment to supporting an international provision of palliative care and the close relationship with the 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,” said Dr Wondrak.
He said that the success of this collaboration follows a challenge from the CEO 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 OBU.
“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.
Read the full story in the Kenya edition of ehospice.
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