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Health experts push for uptake of palliative care
What you need to know:
- About 600 students graduated from the years of 2019 up to 2021 in nursing, palliative care and midwifery. Students were awarded certificates and diplomas.
Health care trainers have called for palliative care specialists to be incorporated in all referral hospitals, saying it can come in handy for chronic pain patients.
The call came during the 11th graduation ceremony of Mulago School of Nursing and Midwifery in Kampala last Friday.
Ms Eva Nampiima, the principal of Mulago School of Nursing and Midwifery, said elderly and disabled people have particularly borne the brunt of the absence of palliative care nurses at hospitals.
Palliative care is a specialised medical care for people living with terminal illnesses. This type of care is focused on providing relief from the symptoms and stress of the illness. The end goal is to improve quality of life for both the patient and the family.
Palliative care experts
“We have released the first batch of palliative care nurses, and we are very sure they are ready to explore what they have learnt,” Ms Nampiima said.
She added: “We expect them to be deployed in some of our big hospitals to reduce the gap.”
Ms Nampiima further revealed that while the palliative care profession has “high demand worldwide”, Uganda has “few experts” in the area.
The State Minister for Higher Education, Mr John Chrysostom Muyingo, who officiated the ceremony, said the country needs skilled personnel now more than ever.
“We are now focusing on skilling in Uganda. That is why we have opted to change the curriculum to make sure we start the campaign from the grassroots of the lower secondary level,” he said
Mr Muyingo added that the government is committed to skill all Ugandans who need employable skills.
“Our ultimate goal is to produce proficient nurses and midwives with a high level of creativity and innovativeness,” he said.
He added: “Currently, people with skills should be capable of being self-employed, as well as competing favourably at national, regional and international level for job markets because lecturers have played their part and they expect them to compete with others.”
Background
About 600 students graduated from the years of 2019 up to 2021 in nursing, palliative care and midwifery. Students were awarded certificates and diplomas.
