Malawi urged to prioritize palliative care for chronic diseases
Ndi Moyo was founded by Finch with support from her husband Tony after volunteering with Hospice Africa Uganda inspired her to provide such services in Malawi.
SALIMA, Malawi- Ndi Moyo Palliative Care has called on the Malawian government to accelerate and prioritize primary healthcare to achieve universal health coverage, saying there is a need for the country to embrace palliative care services to ease the impact of chronic diseases, writes Alinafe Nyanda.
Speaking during the opening of the 7th Palliative Initiators Training Course in Salima, Ndi Moyo founder Lucy Kishindo Finch said that although there have been strides in health infrastructure, more can be done to attain Sustainable Development Goals.
Finch cited lack of knowledge about end-of-life and critical care among health professionals as barriers to expanding palliative care, hence the significance of empowering people on the subject for advocacy.
"As an organization, among other things, we support clients and their families with mainly counseling; encourage living positively with HIV. We are motivated by the huge impact on attitudes to HIV/AIDS that Ndi Moyo Palliative is making in Malawi and to education towards prevention of the disease," she said.
According to Finch, despite growing demand, there is inadequate palliative care-trained personnel in local health institutions.
Salima District Council Director of Human Resources and Administration Grace Kamtande said considering the dire need to improve health service provision, they are committed to advancing palliative care.
Palliative care provides an interdisciplinary approach to specialized medical and nursing care for chronic condition patients.
Ndi Moyo was founded by Finch with support from her husband Tony after volunteering with Hospice Africa Uganda inspired her to provide such services in Malawi.