Quality care at the end of life in Africa

Each year about 0.5% of the total population in Botswana, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zimbabwe die from HIV/AIDS or cancer. The members of a WHO project to improve palliative care in these countries discuss their work. The greatest needs of terminally ill patients were for adequate pain relief, accessible and affordable drugs, and financial support to counter the loss of income of both patient and family caregiver. Special emphasis should be given to home based palliative care provided by trained family and community caregivers to counteract the severe shortage of professional healthcare workers