This is within the framework of a training seminar on palliative care currently taking place in Douala.
In order to boost the capacity of health personnel in the Littoral regional to take care of terminally ill patients, the Littoral Regional Delegation for public Health from February 19 to 23rd organised a training seminar for its personnel on palliative care.
Speaking during the opening ceremony, the Regional Delegate for Public Health, Dr Dissongo Jean II, said palliative care is a new approach to health care recommended by the World Health Organisation during its 67th general assembly denoting every action geared towards improving the quality of life of a patient and his or her family during very long or terminal illness.
“It is holistic approach comprising the physical, psychological, social and spiritual aspects of the illness”, he said.
According to the head of the project, Dr Dina Bell Esther, Epse Mbassi, the project known by its French acronym as ESOP-FOSAL is aimed at not only equipping the health personnel with the necessary know-how, but to also make sure palliative health care units are set up in their various district hospitals while implementing palliative care to patients suffering from terminal diseases like cancer, cardio-vascular diseases, respiratory infections, neurology and liver failure.
Reasons why nurses and doctors were accompanied to take part in the seminar by their respective disciplinary masters who will make sure the measures are implemented on the field.
The 72 participants drawn from all the health districts in the littoral were drilled on notions such as pretests and rules to be respected, fundamental principles and models of palliative care, use of morphine, culture of spirituality, the role of chemotherapy, films projections on experiences in Uganda, pain, classification and evaluation, mastery of symptoms, sexuality and palliative care and so on;.
At the end of the seminar participants are expected to come up with an action plan for the implementation of palliative care in the Littoral Region.