Palliative Medicine and Hospice Care · Vol. 9, No. 1 · 2023 · pp. 1–6 · e-ISSN 2377-8393

Access to Palliative Care in Low- and Middle-Income Countries during Coronavirus Disease-2019 Pandemic and Post-Pandemic Era: A Kenyan Experience

John Weru, Esther Nafula, Asaph Kinyanjui, Sriram Yennurajalingam

Department of Hematology Oncology, Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi, KenyaKenya
Pain and Palliative Care Unit, Kenyatta National Hospital, Nairobi, KenyaKenya
Nairobi Hospice, Nairobi, KenyaKenya
Department of Palliative, Rehabilitation and Integrative Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USAUnited States

DOI: https://doi.org/10.17140/pmhcoj-9-151 · Published 2023-02-01 · Licence: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 · © 2023 The Author(s)

Also available as PDF (figures and tables appear in the PDF).

Abstract

The coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic emphasized the role of palliative care as an essential service to patients and families affected by life-threatening illnesses. Challenges encountered included: patients were not able to access services due to lockdown or restricted movement, limited or no home-based care and visits, opioid analgesic supplies were depleted, high frequency of uncontrolled symptoms and psychosocial distress, limited patient-caregiver-clinician communication, reduced family interactions due to fear of infecting the already sick family members, few training opportunities for health care workers (HCW) and HCW distress and burn-out. To address these challenges, the following strategies were employed; utilization of digital technologies to match resources, innovation in provision of PC including adapting etiquette for patient care using digital technology, advocating policy changes, education, use of technology such as video calls among family members support for HCW.

Keywords: COVID-19; Palliative care; Low- and middle-income countries; Pandemic; Post-pandemic; Health care workers (HCW)

Conclusion

The COVID-19 pandemic further heightened the need to provide timely palliative care to improve quality of life of patients and families affected by life-threatening illnesses in LMIC countries. The authors propose the following strategies to promote access to palliative care during pandemics including: utilization of digital technology, enhanced training of palliative care providers, adoption of efficient systems to reach out to patients and promote access to essential medicines, and advocate policy changes to improve population health. Further research on effectiveness of strategies to facilitate the provision of palliative care in LMIC countries are urgently needed.

Conflicts Of Interest

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

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