We are always keen to support palliative care education and training, especially regarding palliative care integration in the national health systems. Our partner the Palliative care Education and Research Consortium (PcERC) has accomplished quite a bit of this health system integration in Mulago and Kiruddu Hospitals of Kampala, Uganda and they provide good examples of what can be done in the Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) context. 

We were quite pleased to welcome a group of visiting Francophone health care professionals, from all over Africa –Congo, Cote D’Ivoire, Senegal, Togo among others – and even from Haiti. They visited Mulago Hospital with our partner PcERC last week on January 25th. These professionals were attending a course at the Institute of Hospice and Palliative Care in Africa, which most of you may know as Hospice Africa Uganda (HAU). 

For many of the visiting health care professionals and leaders, seeing a palliative care unit work inside the hospital system was a concept only discussed in textbooks. All were encouraged to see how palliative care can be incorporated within the government hospital.

One method included LINK nurse trainings, where nurses are trained to take care of some palliative care needs while referring complex needs to PcERC. Another current integration involves rotating intern doctors and SHOs who take turns to partner with the unit and grow their skills in palliative medicine while they are there. 

Mutual learning also happened during the visit to Mulago Hospital. After spending time on the ward in small groups, we gathered together to debrief and to understand what was happening with each patient and how the palliative care unit could work with hospital staff and family caregivers to improve care. 

Dr Mhoira Leng spoke on integrating palliative care -- leaving none behind -- and one of the key concepts was the transformative power of palliative care. With value-based care, she introduced the topic, you are "promoting dignity, relieving suffering, demonstrating compassion, [and] fighting for justice."

This set the theme for the presentation, from palliative care in fragile settings, to our planetary health, to the challenges that have been overcome in the Kampala governement hospitals to bringing palliative care to all. 

Of course, the visit with the Francophone health care professionals came with a twist: translation! We had several visiting French to English translators, and some on the Cairdeas and PcERC team took time to practice their basic French skills.

As I was watching the interactions, I was touched by how the work for quality, accessible and integrated palliative care transcended culture, country, and even language. From ward rounds to the post-ward round discussion and presentation on transformative palliative care from Dr Mhoira Leng, it was clear that compassionate and holistic care was important to all involved.

To our new colleagues and friends part of the Francophone class at Institute of Hospice and Palliative Care in Africa, we are pleased and proud to be working with you in establishing palliative care in each of your respective communities. 

As declared on the t-shirts of the group, “I support palliative care in Africa.” Je soutiens les soins palliatifs en Afrique. Let’s continue the good work of palliative care provision and integrated services.