THE FORMATION OF GHANA PALLIATIVE CARE ASSOCIATION (GPCA)
1.Background
In July 2006, the first meeting of Palliative care givers towards the formation of GPCA took place at the conference room of a non governmental organization- Palliative Care Ghana (PCG). Those present were;
•Mrs. Mavis Okang Afoakwa (Ripples Health Care)
•Ms. Mary Opare and Dr. Stephen Ayisi Addo (Palliative Care Ghana)
•Ms. Mary A. Addo, Ms. Dorothy Amanor-Boadu (Elite Nursing Agency)
The above two Directors of PCG were the conveners of the said meeting.
2.Purpose of meeting
Ms. Mary Opare; the Ghanaian representative on the board of Africa Palliative Care Association- APCA at the time gave a brief background to the meeting referring to efforts being made internationally to mainstream palliative care as a key component of health care delivery. She added that a lot of advocacy needed to be done to ensure the realization of this dream at the national level as a continuation of initiatives that had been started internationally. The need to establish national associations was emphasized at previous conferences held in Uganda and Nairobi in the past three years. She therefore indicated that the main reason for convening this meeting was to create a platform for members to consider the institution of palliative care through a vibrant association of all care givers. This was critical for the growth and sustainability of palliative care practice in Ghana given the challenges currently facing care givers.
3.Discussions
The idea [Though not original] was fully embraced by other participants who emphasized the need for such a body, to address the challenges currently confronting their practice, some of which were to do with issues of accreditation and regulation, limited access to facilities for capacity building in palliative care and a general lack of sensitivity and sometimes, deliberate resistance to issues of palliative care in the country at both institutional and political levels. Members agreed that addressing these barriers successfully required concerted rather than singular efforts of all individuals and organizations involved in palliative care practice, hence the need for the formation of the proposed association was long overdue. Members pledged to work hard to bring this into fruition despite earlier failed attempts.
4.Next steps
•Organizational profiling
•Development of a constitution
•General Registration Issues
•Planning of world hospice day celebration.
The meeting concluded with a decision by persons present to invite all other known
groups and practitioners interested in the above cause on board.
Objectives of GPCA:
1.Increase Awareness, Knowledge and skills related to hospice palliative care through education.
2.To be a forum for the development of National standards in hospice palliative care practice.
3.Advocacy for improved palliative care in relation to policy, resource allocation and support
for caregivers.
4.A forum for sourcing funds to promote palliative care practice in Ghana.
5.Progress
By 9th August, 2006 a draft constitution was presented for additions and subtractions.
The registration of GPCA was then set into motion to be followed up by Mr. Alexander Ohemeng; the Administrator of Palliative Care Ghana.
There was also profile compilations of the various organizations involved in the formation of GPCA.
First Activity
Planning the world hospice day, some suggested activities for the celebration were; a float, distribution of hand bills, radio programs, documentaries to create awareness and a palliative care community outreach.
Unfortunately, except for the last activity the others couldn’t be carried through because all the funding we had was $ 100.
However, the five groups (Elite, Nyaniba, King’s, Ripples Health Care and Palliative Care, Ghana) were determined and committed to the cause of palliative care in Ghana. With over seventy (70) care givers from the various groups we had participated in the World Hospice/Palliative Day on 7th October, 2006. The theme adopted by the group was “Improving the quality and access to care”.
The community chosen for activities was Atua Government Hospital and community at Krobo Odumasi. This was far away from the capital city of Ghana. Dr. Vinolia Tonugble (President of PCG) had joined the group to Atua. It must be mentioned that Mrs. Mavis Okang Afoakwa (Executive Director- Ripples Health Care) and Mr. Alexander Danso Ohemeng (Administrator- PCG) were key in the organization of the day’s celebration.
6.What Next
The work at Atua Krobo Odumasi was enormous, especially with limited logistics and almost no funding. However the group needs to go back to that community for a
follow up. Help is really needed.
Donors of medical logistics, sponsors for media awareness programs and palliative care training are just but a few of the help needed.
Note
There are many more people; waiting for the opportunity to be trained in palliative care. Our hope is that such passion will not be allowed to die for lack of funding.
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