Availability of palliative care services in Zambia: A nationwide provincial and tertiary hospital survey
| Autor: | Carla J. Chibwesha, Sharon Kapambwe, Claire-Helene Mershon, Jane Matambo, Mulindi H. Mwanahamuntu, Kennedy Lishimpi, Agnes Musonda, Groesbeck P. Parham, Kombatende Sikombe, Katundu Katundu, S. Citonje Msadabwe, Allen C. Bateman, Brigitte Frett Utter |
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| Rok vydání: | 2019 |
| Předmět: |
Cervical cancer
Service (business) medicine.medical_specialty Palliative care business.industry Health Policy medicine.disease 03 medical and health sciences 0302 clinical medicine Procurement Oncology Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) 030220 oncology & carcinogenesis Family medicine Health care medicine 030212 general & internal medicine University teaching business Psychosocial |
| Zdroj: | Journal of Cancer Policy. 20:100185 |
| ISSN: | 2213-5383 |
| DOI: | 10.1016/j.jcpo.2019.100185 |
| Popis: | Background With high rates of HIV/AIDS and rising burdens of non-communicable diseases, Zambians increasingly need palliative care. While efforts are underway to grow Zambia’s palliative care system, the most recent situational analysis of palliative care in Zambia, conducted in 2008, revealed substantial gaps in availability. Methods To provide an updated appraisal of breast and cervical cancer services in Zambia, including palliative care, we conducted a nationwide provincial and tertiary hospital survey. All 9 provincial hospitals and the University Teaching Hospital and Cancer Diseases Hospital in Lusaka Province participated (N = 11). The survey was conducted between August 2014 and January 2015 and administered in-person at each facility. Data regarding the availability of inpatient, outpatient, and community-based palliative care services, palliative medications, and psychosocial supports was obtained at each facility. The reported results are descriptive in nature. Results Although the need for palliative care services was recognized, many facilities (64%) lack palliative care policies and only 18% offer palliative care in a coordinated program. The majority of services are only available to inpatients and rarely include community-based programs. While all facilities had adequate supplies of acetaminophen, 82% reported unavailability of codeine and 45% reported no access to oral morphine. Conclusions This assessment confirms the dearth of palliative care services across Zambia. Less than half of its provincial hospitals offer community- or home-based services and only 55% offer opioid analgesics. Immediate and substantial improvements in policy, drug procurement and distribution, and service expansion are needed to ensure high-quality palliative care is available throughout Zambia. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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