Directorate of Public Health Services Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, The Gambia
Paediatric palliative care services in low income countries compete for resources with many other priorities both in paediatric health services, and within the whole health system. Their provision is desirable and the development of a sustainable service that would include advocacy, training health and community care workers, policy development and mentorship, requires a substantial budget which at present the Gambian Ministry of Health (MoH) is unable to provide.
Lyn Gould – Butterfly Children’s Hospices – China
When I heard Mrs Lyn Gould from the Butterfly Hospice in China give a presentation on caring for children with palliative care needs this inspired me to explore ways of starting up a palliative care service in The Gambia which has a large unmet need of children living with life-threatening and life-limiting conditions. On enquiring about the process of initiating such a service, Mrs Lyn Gould, referred me to the International Children’s Palliative Care Network (ICPCN) for technical support, and discussions between the ICPCN and MoH commenced. We compiled a project plan but unfortunately there were no funds to implement it. The timely call by THET* for start- up grants provided an ideal opportunity to begin a plan for paediatric palliative care. We developed an application in discussion with a number of UK and African partners, and following introductions by ICPCN, we initiated a new partnership with the University of Edinburgh with a long-term view to develop the much-needed children’s palliative care services in The Gambia.