Palliative Care Program

Palliative care and POSER home visit

Palliative care is a program under the Chronic Care Unit at PIH Malawi delivered in a holistic approach that focuses on physical, psychological, social, and spiritual aspects of people’s lives. It is a multi-disciplinary approach, which affirms life and death as normal processes. The program looks at chronic conditions like cancers, cardiovascular diseases, neurological problems, chronic respiratory problems, congenital problems, gastrointestinal problems, cancers, and HIV. 

Our Impact

In Neno, strides in implementing Palliative care began in 2011 at the main district hospital. From 2018 to 2023, the services have been extended to 8 health centers across the district namely; Lisungwi, Magaleta, Ligowe, Chifunga, Dambe, Nsambe, Matope, and Midzemba HC. From October to December 2023, 1,728 clients received care whilst 159 clients were newly registered. 

  • ONE
    Medical Care

    From October to December 2023, 1728 clients received medical care.

  • facility
    TWO
    New Clients

    159 Palliative Care clients newly registered

  • THREE
    Home visits

    Home visits are done once a week with an average of 110 clients planned review for a month for the whole district 

Palliative Care is an approach that improves the quality of life of clients and their families facing life-threatening illnesses through the prevention assessment and treatment of pain and other physical, psychosocial, social, and spiritual problems. Palliative care is delivered in a holistic approach that focuses on it’s a multi-disciplinary approach, which affirms life and death as normal processes.  

In Neno, strides in implementing Palliative care began in 2011 at the main district hospital. From 2018 to 2023, the services have been extended to 8 health centers across the district namely; Lisungwi, Magaleta, Ligowe, Chifunga, Dambe, Nsambe, Matope, and Midzemba HC. 

Neno District has a facility population catchment area of 153,132 according to (DHIS2, 2023). As a district, it is estimated that 1% of the population needs enrollment in the program which is 1531.32. So far, from October to December 2023, 1,728 clients received care whilst 159 clients were newly registered. 

Model of Care:  

  • Out-Patient Clinics 
  • These are walk-in clients who visit a palliative clinic for review and medication refill then go home. 
  • Ward reviews 
  • This is a model whereby clients enrolled in palliative care are reviewed in the ward when they are admitted. 
  • Home-based care 
  • A team of service providers visit clients in their homes for clinical review and medication refill. 
  • Health Centers (OPD) 
  • This is the same as out-patient clinics but conducted at a health center.  
  •  Integrated Maternal and Child Health-Palliative care outreach clinics 
  • This is an integrated clinic where palliative clients living within the same catchment area are seen at a specific place together other than visiting them in their homes. 
palliative care visit

The palliative care and POSER teams visit Salome Ngaicho and her husband Josephy Ngaicho in Butao, Neno, Malawi. 

Zack DeClerck 

Service Provision: 

  • Ward reviews almost daily (need basis). 
  • Outpatient Department (OPD) open daily 
  • Chemotherapy administration once a week for Kaposi’s Sarcoma  
  • Home visits are done once a week with an average of 110 clients planned review for a month for the whole district 
  • MCH-Palliative care outreach clinic once a week with an average of 80 clients planned review for a month for the whole district 
  • Quarterly supportive supervision in all centers 
  • Tumor board monthly meeting  

 Most Seen Conditions 

  • Cancers 
  • Cardiovascular diseases e.g. Hypertension, heart diseases 
  • Neurological problems e.g. cerebral palsy.  
  • Chronic respiratory problems like; Asthma, MDR-TB 
  • Congenital problems e.g. Hydrocephalus, Cerebral palsy 
  • Gastrointestinal problems like liver problems 
  • Cancers and HIV