Kampala, (UG):- The Palliative Care Association of Uganda (PCAU), a national association for Palliative Care providers Friday celebrated its Silver Jubilee with the official launch of the PCAU Cares App as it marks 25 years of extending compassion, holistic care, pain relief, hope, and justice to individuals and families in Uganda.
PCAU Cares App, a one-stop centre for palliative care information for Uganda was unveiled by Hon Justine Kasule Lumumba, the Minister for General Duties at a dinner held Friday, December 06, 2024, at Silver Springs Hotel Bugolobi in Nakawa Division, Kampala.
Representing the Prime Minister, Rt Hon Robina Nabbanja as the Chief Guest, Hon Lulumba described palliative care is a cornerstone for any healthcare system and said it is such a big honour to celebrate 25 years of extending such services to the needy individuals in the country.
“PCAU has stood as a beacon of compassion to Ugandans which has touched 1000s of cases that need palliative care services,” she said. “Your efforts have been instrumental in achieving the milestones you have been able to achieve.”
The PCAU Cares App offers:
- Up-to-date Information: Stay informed on the latest developments in palliative care in Uganda.
- Comprehensive Understanding: Learn what palliative care is, who can benefit from it, and how it can help improve quality of life.
- Service Locator: Easily find nearby palliative care service providers to get the support you need.
The Minister for Health, Hon Dr Jane Ruth Aceng in her remarks stressed that the government under her ministry has a whole division mandated to offer and supplement palliative services although the rollout of such services remains a challenge.
“In the Ministry of Health, we have a division for palliative care. The government is committed to ensuring that the service is rolled out to the districts where it has not yet reached, but it’s my role you & I to ensure that it reaches the entire country,” Dr Aceng said.
The PCAU Silver Jubilee Dinner aimed to acknowledge the immense progress made over the past quarter-century while looking forward to future opportunities & challenges in delivering palliative care services in Uganda.
What is Palliative Care?
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines palliative care as specialized medical care focused on providing relief from pain and other symptoms of serious illnesses. According to WHO, this type of care helps patients manage side effects from medical treatments, and its availability is not contingent on the curability of their condition.
In Uganda, PCAU focuses on strengthening palliative care services, training palliative care nurses, integrating palliative care reporting and ensuring accessibility to oral liquid morphine within health facilities.
With a membership of 30 Member Organizations and over 1500 individual Members, PCAU works in partnership with the Ministry of Health, other line government ministries, agencies, departments, civil society, and individuals to accelerate the integration of palliative care into the health care system in Uganda.
Statistics from the Ministry of Health’s Health Management Information System indicate that only 11 per cent of the estimated 500,000 Ugandans in need of palliative care services have access to them.
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