Kumasi:The Palliative Care Unit at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) is calling on the hospital's management and other stakeholders to assist in creating more working spaces as the demand for its services rapidly grows.
According to Ghana News Agency, Dr. Emmanuel Ati, the Head of the Family Medicine Directorate at KATH, emphasized the need for additional space during the Unit's 10th-anniversary celebration in Kumasi. Dr. Ati highlighted that the expanding services often leave relatives waiting outside due to insufficient space. He urged hospital management to facilitate the creation of more room to ensure smooth service delivery.
Dr. Ati further noted the challenge of having inadequate personnel, stating that while palliative care services have now extended to the hospital wards, there is a shortage of specialists. He expressed hope for more nurses interested in palliative care to join the Directorate, which prioritizes this field and is ready to welcome dedicated staff.
Over the past decade, the Unit has worked to provide structured and coordinated care for patients with advanced and life-threatening illnesses. This includes addressing physical, psychological, social, and spiritual needs, offering pain relief and comfort, and providing emotional and psycho-social support. The Unit also engages in disease discussions, advanced health planning, caregiver support, spiritual support, and bereavement care.
Dr. Ati mentioned the necessity of a dedicated van for home care services, as many patients are unable to visit the hospital. He explained that palliative care worldwide often relies on donations, as many patients cannot afford treatment due to their inability to work. The Directorate aims to establish a palliative care fund to offer free care to patients in need.
He also called on the government to include palliative care under the National Health Insurance Scheme and the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, suggesting that medications like morphine should be covered to improve accessibility.
Professor Yaw Ampem Amoako, Medical Director at KATH, promised that the hospital would work with the Unit to find a space for a chapel or meditation area, reaffirming the hospital's commitment to making compassionate palliative care accessible to all, regardless of age, location, or financial situation.