Search

Byline: Farzana. Khan, Nezamuddin. Ahmad, Fazle. Biswas Background: Breast cancer (BC) patients may experience multiple symptoms due to the disease itself, cancer treatment or combination of both. Aim: The aim [...]

Byline: Megan. Doherty, Farzana. Khan, Fazle. Biswas, Marufa. Khanom, Rubayat. Rahman, Mohammad. Islam Tanvir, Farhana. Akter, Mridul. Sarker, Nezamuddin. Ahmad Context: There is a significant need for palliative care for [...]

The authors reflect on palliative care (PC), as the World Health Organization defines it as a relief, and not as a cure, providing a support system to patients with incurable diseases. They provide an overview of the PC's history wherein the term palliative care in clinical practice was first coined in 1974. The authors contends that the healthcare system needs to improve when it comes to palliative care, reflecting from the millions of people who are dying every year in Bangladesh.

The Centre for Palliative Care, based at the only medical university [Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU)] in Dhaka, Bangladesh, in collaboration with Worldwide Hospice Palliative Care Alliance, piloted a one-year project focussed on improving the quality of life of 100 older people and their families in two slum settings in Dhaka. This project was developed following the identification of significant palliative care needs of older people in the slum settings. In addition, the project was formed in response to the absence of programmes delivering palliative care to the poorest and most marginalised in poor urban settings, in a sustainable manner within the context of the low development of palliative care and the human and financial resource limitations in Bangladesh. The programme was developed using a participatory approach which focussed on engaging members of the community in the delivery of the project through the identification and training of 8 palliative care assistants from the slum setting itself, who delivered basic care supported by health professionals, the development of palliative care activists within the community and the engagement of the slum community leadership. The impact of the project showed improved quality of life for the target population and the potential for further development as a sustainable, community owned model over a further 2 years, which could be translated into other urban settings. This presentation will highlight lessons learned from the development and implementation of the project, and findings from the independent evaluation completed in December 2016, overseen by Glasgow University. The presentation will outline the successes and challenges of developing a participatory, community owned palliative care service within a slum in Dhaka, Bangladesh for older people and their families.