PALLIATIVE CARE MUST BE A PRIORITY
The rise of COVID-19 resulted in an increase of non-communicable diseases which caused palliative care to being a priority.
Assistant Minister of Health, Mr Sethomo Lelatisitswe said at this year’s World Hospice and Palliative Care Day commemoration in Francistown this past Saturday that most people now required medical support from Hospice and Palliative Care programme. Through the programme, patients were able to go on with life despite the challenges they faced.
He urged Batswana to undergo screening for potential health disorders or diseases even if they showed no symptoms.
“Our mission is to ensure quality health care for all our people,” he said adding that palliative care was a component of Home Based Care aimed at alleviating suffering.
Francistown mayor, Mr Godisang Radisigo praised Nyangabgwe Referral Hospital for having a palliative care team which he said had started spreading its wings into the greater Francistown area.
“The programme was devoted to achieving the best possible quality of life for patients facing life threatening or terminal illnesses through relief of symptoms and aggressive management of other sources of suffering,” said Greater Francistown District Health Management Team coordinator, Dr Ivan Kgetse who attended World Hospice and Palliative Care Day.
