Nairobi Hospice

The training programme offered by this hospice has equipped other hospices around the country with trained staff and so expanded national coverage.

The people that we have trained are the ones that have gone out and started those hospices so that other people who cannot reach us at least they will have palliative care accessible and available for them.⁴⁶

The positive attitude towards Nairobi Hospice by the Kenya Government has significant implications for palliative care in this country.

… the fact that the Kenya Government has given us land, it means that the Ministry acknowledges and appreciates palliative care, and for us that is very, very important, and we are at an early stage working with the Ministry so that palliative care can eventually be part and parcel of the main health care delivery system.⁴⁷

An external evaluation in 1996 concluded that Nairobi Hospice was achieving its aims, and this is confirmed by positive comments from patients and families. That many of the medical staff are formally trained in palliative care is also seen by this team as another indicator of success.

Meru Hospice

Dr Bactrin Killingo:

I think we have been able to do what palliative care is meant to achieve: provide quality care to more than 200 people in the last two years. That to me is a success. The other success really is to be able to see that there has been a few other individuals interested in participating in provision of the same. I started as me alone and now we have six, seven others. The community has also gotten to be aware of the need for these particular services and are inviting us – every weekend I have an invitation from a church to go and talk to them about care of the dying, and for me that is a success because people now are aware of this service.⁴⁸

Coast Hospice

Sound relationships with state health services have succeeded in integrating palliative care into the broader health provision. Lack of funding is all that inhibits plans to expand community palliative care skills by this hospice to health care providers in the district.

Nyeri Hospice

This hospice lists several notable successes in its vision to provide quality palliative care in the rural setting:

Operating from its own premises it has experienced a significant rise in the number of patients seen each month and has set up a satellite centre in Nyahururu.

• Recent developments include a day care centre, bereavement service and home based care for HIV/AIDS patients.
• Government supports the service by seconding nurses to the programme.
• Since 2000 the hospice has benefited from the doctor on rotation programme facilitated by Hospice Care Kenya (UK). Public awareness of palliative care has been increased and there are regular training programmes for volunteers, professional health workers and schools.

Maua Methodist Hospital

The successes of the hospice programme are stated to be:

• accessibility of palliative care in the rural communities
• involvement of churches and local communities
• a new appreciation that something can be done for people who are terminally ill
• availability of antiretroviral drugs
• the advocacy of patients being treated
• a broader support base, including the ministry of health⁴⁹