Effective palliative care represents an enormous global problem, and nowhere is it more acute than in Africa. 

Cancer is a growing healthcare issue on the African continent, with cancer figures set to nearly double by 2030, rising to 1.28 million new cases and 970,000 deaths¹.

ecancer.org, a leading cancer education organisation, has now developed a free comprehensive online course in palliative care, which is available through the IAEA Programme of Action for Cancer Therapy and the Virtual University of Cancer Control and in partnership with Cardiff University’s Palliative Care team, led by Baroness Professor Ilora Finlay.

The teaching modules have been carefully tailored to a sub-Saharan African context; however the lessons given are applicable to any palliative care situation across the planet.

The venture represents a collaborative effort from 11 countries, spanning both Europe and Africa.

Dr Anne Merriman, life-long champion of palliative care and founder of Hospice Africa Uganda (HAU), felt that one of the main challenges facing palliative care in Uganda was "a shortage of funding for patient care and for training at all levels, particularly for degree students from all over Africa".

Just this year, the WHO decided on a resolution to accept palliative care as an integral component of healthcare services worldwide².

A key component of the strategy will be to properly train healthcare workers in all aspects of palliative care.

The report itself states that the resolution was recommended whilst "highlighting the need for continuing education and adequate training for all hospital and community-based health care providers and other caregivers, including nongovernmental organisation workers and family members." 

Prof Gordon McVie, founder of ecancer has said "this free course represents a small yet important step in achieving improved palliative care for people across Africa".

By delivering free, high quality education ecancer will help meet this urgent need and address the WHO’s long term goals.

Click here to see the modules for yourself  

For more information read Dr Fiona Rawlinson and Emmanuel Luyirika’s editorial

References

1. International Agency for Research on Cancer, GLOBOCAN 2008: Cancer Incidence and Mortality Worldwide, 2010.

2. Burki TK (2014) The Lancet Oncology, WHO resolution on access to palliative care