12 Oct 2014

Women have been hailed as the backbone of the country’s palliative care services.

“Without them our health would not be where it is today,” said Assistant Minister of Health, Dr Gloria Somolekae. Speaking during a commemoration day of palliative care day in Serowe recently, Dr Somolekae commended women for driving palliative care services.

She said it does not mean that men were not taking part in palliative care services, but that women were on the forefront.  She also heaped praises on health workers, saying their efforts have improved health services.

Dr Somolekae said it was easy for patients to criticise health workers and urged them not to be discouraged. For his part, the chaplain of Holy Cross Hospice, pastor Erik Isaksson said when one becomes part of palliative care services or witness its consequences, the passion to take care of patients would not fade away.

He noted that they have three branches, and that the Pabalelong Hospice was the only one in the country with inpatients unit.  He added that it was opened in 2010 with 10 beds. It provides end of life care and supports people who were rehabilitating from severe illnesses.

Bamalete Lutheran Hospital hospice is a day care hospice which offers different kinds of support to patients in the community.  The third one is also a day care centre hospice and is situated in Gaborone. Recently, eight inpatients bed unit was built at the hospice. Pabalelong Hospice will provide 24 hour service in the near future.

For her part, Botswana Hospice and Palliative Care Association member, Ms Goitseone Mburu said the association was established in 2013 and that membership was open to individuals, home-based care hospices and other associations.

Ms Mburu, who is also a palliative care nurse, said the more people join the Palliative Care Association, the more the quality of health would improve. The association, she said, was the voice of terminally ill-patients.Although the association is based at the Gaborone Institute of Health Science (IHS), the intention is to spread it across the country, she added.

For his part, Sekgoma Memorial Hospital superintendent, Dr George Simwanza said raising awareness and sensitising the community about hospice and palliative care services provides an opportunity to make palliative care accessible to those in need hence the empowerment of the community about the service.

This, he said, would afford families and individuals the opportunity to appreciate the role that they play in caring for their family members. The community would also know about other models of palliative care services in the country, he added. ENDS