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Review
. 2003 Jul 26;327(7408):209-13.
doi: 10.1136/bmj.327.7408.209.

Quality care at the end of life in Africa

Cecilia Sepulveda  1 , Vincent Habiyambere, Jacinto Amandua, Margaret Borok, Ekie Kikule, Barbara Mudanga, Twalib Ngoma, Bogale Solomon
Affiliations
Review

Quality care at the end of life in Africa

Cecilia Sepulveda et al. BMJ. .

Abstract

Each year about 0.5% of the total population in Botswana, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zimbabwe die from HIV/AIDS or cancer. The members of a WHO project to improve palliative care in these countries discuss their work. The greatest needs of terminally ill patients were for adequate pain relief, accessible and affordable drugs, and financial support to counter the loss of income of both patient and family caregiver. Special emphasis should be given to home based palliative care provided by trained family and community caregivers to counteract the severe shortage of professional healthcare workers

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Because of the shortage of healthcare professionals, most terminally ill people in Africa are cared for at home by family members Credit: OBED ZILWA/AP PHOTO
Figure 2
Figure 2
A woman nurses her father, who has AIDS, in Kampala Credit: CRISPIN HUGHES/PANOS PICTURES
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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MeSH terms

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