HOSPICE AFRICA (HA) located in Kampala, Uganda was inspired by witnessing the terrible suffering of those with cancer who were sent home to die without support in Nairobi in the early1990's. Palliative care provided by the Nairobi Hospice demonstrated that care could be provided effectively to such patients and allow them to die without pain and at peace with their families and with spiritual support. Thus HA was created to provide palliative care services in the Sub Saharan region. Hospice Africa Uganda (HAU) was founded in 1992 and was registered in the UK in 1993 by Dr. Anne Merriman, MBE, FRCP. Dr. Merriman is currently the Director of Policy and International Programmes for HAU. One of the primary objectives for HAU was to develop a palliative care model for Africa that would demonstrate that excellent but affordable clinical care could be delivered that would be appropriate to the cultures in Africa. Secondarily it was also recognized that education and research would also be important to obtain widespread acceptance by the people of Africa. A very important element in the HAU model was the development of Community Volunteer Workers. The HAU model demonstrated that recruiting volunteers from within the local communities of Uganda was essential for the proper identification and support of those most vulnerable in the communities who were suffering from critical illness or are at the end of life. Community Volunteers are selected by their own communities. Community leaders, as those who the community would like to care for them when ill. Hospice then provides training in simple nursing techniques in the home. They will advise the families on early detection of HIV, breast cancer, cervical cancer and other signs of early cancer. They are also trained to identify patients in need of palliative care services. Community volunteers were initiated to serve the 57% of our people who never reach a Health worker. These people also suffer from cancer and/or HIV/AIDS and need palliative care. The community volunteers identify the suffering and critically ill, and refer them to Hospice. Hospice will then go to their homes and give holistic care in conjunction with palliative care. If they need ARVs or management from another networking organization, they will be referred to the right service. The volunteers are highly respected members of their community because of the selfless, compassionate support they give to the patients and their families. In 2005 Dr. Judith Hills, MD was invited by Dr. Merriman to become a volunteer physician at HAU. She is now the President of Hospice Africa USA. Every year Dr. Hills travels to Uganda to support HAU staff and volunteers. She has been so inspired by the community volunteers that she has become an avid supporter and advocate for them. This page was inspired by Dr. Hills to promote the efforts of the Community Volunteer Workers of Uganda and to raise funds for the important work that they do. Dr. Hills has found that the funding for the volunteers has been decreasing in recent years despite the increasing need for their services. Many volunteers do not have the basic supplies necessary to do their work. Unlike volunteers in the US, HAU volunteers have a broader responsibility since they do hands-on care and basic medical assessments in the districts that HA serves. Therefore these supplies are very important to them and to the patients and families they serve.
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This page was created by the Hospice Volunteer Association in support of HAU. www.hospicevolunteerassociation.org
