Social Medicine
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Tansania
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Strengthening of palliative care in northern Tanzania

Organisation: German Institut for Medical Mission (Difäm)
Partner country: Tanzania
Partner organisation in partner country: Evangelical-Lutheran Church in Tanzania (ELCT)


Image: Visiting ill patient

Situation:

Patients with malignant diseases in Tanzania often present at a stage where cure is no longer possible. However, palliative care mandatory to reduce the burden of symptoms and increase the quality of life. Up to now, this treatment has been carried out as an inpatient service, which is usually associated with high costs for the patients and involves long journeys as home based care is not funded.
 

Objectives:

Palliative home based care for terminally ill patients in Tanzania is secured.

Indicators:
  1. Government decision-makers participate in the discussion on cost-effectiveness of home-based palliative care.
     
  2. A functioning and quality-assured scheme for a home-based care structure is available.
     
  3. The number of professionals trained in palliative care in their own country increases.
Measures:
  1. Implementation of home visits by hospice and palliative care workers to care for palliative patients.
     
  2. Supervision of hospice and palliative care workers.
     
  3. Development of guidelines and materials for the documentation and implementation of home visits by hospice and palliative care workers.
     
  4. Creation of a comprehensive curriculum for the training of hospice and palliative care helpers.
     
  5. Training of new hospice workers and refresher courses.
     
  6. Conduction of a scientific cost-effectiveness study of outpatient palliative care.
     
  7. Establishment of a certificate course in palliative medicine at KCMC.
     
  8. Lobbying at the political level and at the National Health Insurance Fund.
Sustainability:

Home based care for terminally ill patients in has so far only been provided within local project settings. No official national or governmental source of funding exists. If the project succeeds in initiating the financing of the services by the national insurance, the home based palliative care in Tanzania will be financially secured in the long term and can be provided in the whole country.
At the same time, the establishment of a certificate course in palliative care at the KCMC will make needed specialist staff available on a permanent basis.

Special features:

Within this project, a cost-effectiveness study for specialised home based palliative care in Tanzania will be prepared for the first time and a statement on the quality of care of home based care services will be made possible. This provides a good, scientifically sound basis for further negotiations at the political level.

Here you can find further information.