Author: Fatia Kiyange, Programmes Director, African Palliative Care Association
12 August 2015
A model programme for community volunteers and traditional healers prompts patients to seek hospital medical treatment and palliative care services.
The community volunteers are organised in associations according to their villages. They have supervisors, all trained in palliative care. Of the 20 volunteers on ground, nine of them are receiving stipends in compensation of their time, although this poses a challenge for motivating others.
Some of the activities and services provided by these volunteers include:
- supporting patients to get to the hospitals and to return home
- sensitising family carers on how to care for the patient
- providing support for treatment adherence and physical presence for the patient including stigma reduction.
- Providing basic counselling aimed at influencing individuals to seek HIV treatment.
- Establishing relationships with community leaders, working closely together to help patients get to hospitals.
Lire la suite
