Tanzania: Government Commits Palliative Care Services Scale Up

By Daily News Reporter in Dodoma

THE government has expressed its commitment to scale up palliative care services in the country as

evidenced by earlier 2016 guideline development among other measures.

Giving a presentation recently during a Palliative Care meeting here, National Cancer Coordinator from the Ministry of Health, Dr Sarah Maongezi said to ensure the services are delivered in the public, drugs among others are made available in all health centres.

"We have support of Tanzania Medicines and Medical Devices Authority (TMDA) on availing controlled drug permit certificates to individual hospitals in need. "Medical Stores Department (MSD) make also available Palliative Care drugs, besides Faith Based Organisations, Non-Governmental Organisations and other International Organizations ," said Dr Maongezi.

She further said the government in collaboration with different stakeholders developed a Palliative Care Policy Guideline in 2016 that has made a lot of achievements being realized.

According to the Cancer Coordinator, the guideline aims at ensuring that quality palliative care services are made available and accessible in a timely, affordable and culturally appropriate to all people with life-limiting illnesses.

She further said it was aimed at facilitating the accessibility and provision of the quality palliative care services at grassroots to families, care givers; and promoting research and training.

The guideline intends to provide a framework which will facilitate the provision and scale up of quality and affordable Palliative Care services in every health facility and community in the country.

Equally, the guideline calls for a rationale on how to establish mechanisms, which guarantee smooth accessibility and supply of the essential palliative care particularly for pain regulating and related medicines.

Dr Maongezi said such initiative makes sure the pain controlling drugs, particularly oral morphine and adjuvant are included in the National Essential Drug List.

That also ensures the delivery of palliative care services are made available for all age groups with life-limiting illnesses at all levels and integrated in the existing service delivery programmes.

Dr Maongezi said to promote public and private partnership in delivery of palliative care services is of paramount importance as long as all providers strive for excellence and quality improvement in service delivery.