This week, on the 9thand 10thof August, Cairdeas will formally celebrate 10 years of partnership working with the Makerere & Mulago Palliative Care Unit (MMPCU).  The decade of achievement will be marked by a conference in Makerere University drawing together an international panel to speak on the theme of: ‘Building Momentum for Palliative Care’.  

From Scotland, India, Sudan, Rwanda, USA and Uganda, delegates will speak on policy, practice and research, showcasing the cutting-edge, evidence-based palliative care practice that has been making an impact in Uganda and elsewhere.  The conference is honoured that Uganda’s Minister of Health will be represented.

Mhoira Leng, Medical Director of Cairdeas and Head of Palliative Care for the Mulago and Makerere Palliative Care Unit, said, “I am humbled to be part of a movement for palliative care in Uganda which began 25 years ago.  I am also filled with hope as I witness those working alongside me, nationally and globally.  We all have a common goal, that of seeking an end to needless suffering through ensuring the choices and needs of those living with chronic illness are respected and met within the context of Universal Health Coverage and palliative care for all.”

The voices of patients, their families, and volunteers will also be heard at the conference as those affected will explain, first hand, how values-based, person centred care has had a profound impact on their lives.  Themes such as palliative care and mental health, palliative care and refugees, and palliative care and the elderly will all be explored.  Cairdeas’ Christian ethos will, of course, be in evidence at the conference with an input on, ‘spiritual narratives within palliative care’.  

The strap line for the conference, ‘transforming lives, changing systems, bringing hope’encapsulates the work, ethos and dynamism of Cairdeas whose positive achievements have been further strengthened through local partnerships.  Specifically in this instance, Cairdeas’ partnership with MMPCU is testament to the adage, 'together we are stronger’; for together they have notched up some remarkable achievements: a centre of excellence for integrated Palliative Care services in Mulago National Referral Hospital; pre-service and in-service training of health professionals; and clinical modelling supported by clinical protocols and evidence based medicine.

Also during the conference, MMPCU will launch its five-year Strategic Plan in partnership with the Palliative care Education and Research Consortium; the overarching goal to provide quality palliative care for all in Uganda and beyond.  The plan is underpinned by five strategic areas - clinical service provision, education and training, advocacy, research, and sustainability - each of which will considered and discussed over the two-day conference.

Places are still available.  For further details please contact:

email enquiries: mpcuconf2018@gmail.com

telephone enquiries:+256 (0)754 299919

Venue: Davis Lecture Theatre, Deans Gardens, College of Health Sciences, Mulago Hospital, Uganda.