Mildmay graduates first pediatric palliative care students

By Clare Muhindo

IN a bid to reduce infant mortality rates and give hope to children with life threatening illnesses, four health workers have graduated with a higher diploma in pediatric palliative care, for the first time awarded by a Ugandan institution.

Miriel Kibirige of Hospice Africa, Henry Balikuddembe, Annet Nakintu and Michael Mukiibi are among the 33 health workers that graduated from Mildmay Uganda, during its sixth graduation ceremony, in Kampala on Wednesday.

Others graduated with a Bachelor of Health and Social Systems Management, Bachelor of Health Systems Approach to HIV and AIDS Care, a higher diploma in Child Counseling, and a certificate in Comprehensive HIV Counseling and Management.

Awarding the certificates to the graduates, Edith Akankwasa, the Director Training and Education at Mildmay Uganda said the programme develops health and social workers' competences in the holistic management of children and families faced with life threatening illnesses.

It targets practicing health professionals, including Nurses, Doctors, Clinical Officers, Social Workers, Psychologists, Counselors and Physiotherapists.

"They were trained in providing relief from the symptoms, pain, and stress of a serious illness. The goal is to improve quality of life for both the child and the family," she said.

The twelve months modular course is the first of its kind in Uganda specifically addressing the skills gap in caring for children.

It began as a certificate course in 2009, when Mildmay Uganda was selected to be one of the three organizations in Africa, to establish a Children's Palliative Care (CPC) Training and Clinical Excellence Centre.

The aim of the project was to improve access to children's Palliative Care services in Uganda, Tanzania and South Africa, through better-trained health professionals. The Diana princess of Wales's Memorial Fund supported the project.

Patrick Ssempala, the Principal education officer in the Ministry of education, urged allied health institutions to admit mostly health workers from rural communities, since they need the services more.

"The curriculum is now competence based, and is the best option for the middle class cadres in the health sector, since they go as far as the rural communities. This will help reduce the human resource gap at rural health facilities," he said.

Miriel Kibirige, one of the graduates said the course would them give hope to people living with life threatening illnesses.

"So many people have lost hope for a better life, but I can now assess children and their families and comprehensively manage their palliative care needs."

Children in need of palliative care

According to Hospice Africa Uganda, a total of 76,380 Ugandan children with cancer and or AIDS require palliative care currently.

The figure does not include children suffering from other life threatening diseases including infections and non-communicable diseases.

Dr. Anne Merriman, of Hospice Africa Uganda says less than 5% of children with cancer reach curative services in hospitals and the rest are in the community.

She says many more people are informed today on Palliative Care, than in 1993 when it first was introduced to Uganda. But there are still large areas of the population not informed.

"However there are also misunderstandings about palliative, with many thinking it should only come in at the end of life, yet it is necessary early on in a life threatening illness to control pain and symptoms," she says.

Palliative care is intended to support patient and family, to enable them to be more productive until they die. It can be delivered at home.