National conference explores palliative care solutions
The South African Palliative Care Conference is taking place in Durban
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Healthcare professionals, social workers, researchers and policymakers are gathering in Durban to focus on adult and child palliative care.
The South African Palliative Care Conference is currently taking place until Saturday at the Southern Sun Elangeni & Maharani Hotel in Durban. Palliative care is a specialised form of care that provides symptom relief, comfort and support to people living with serious or chronic illnesses.
The theme for the conference is Palliative Care: Revolution. Evolution. Solution.
The conference is a collaborative venture between the Association of Palliative Care Practitioners of South Africa (PALPRAC), Palliative Care for Children South Africa (PatchSA) and the Association of Palliative Care Centres (APCC).
The conference aims to foster a deeper understanding of the critical role palliative care plays in the healthcare system, share innovative practices, and build networks that strengthen the collective efforts.
By bringing together healthcare professionals, researchers, policymakers, and advocates, this conference will serve as a platform for insightful discussions, knowledge sharing, and professional development.
Tracey Brand, director and medical social worker at Umduduzi Hospice Care for Children, said the conference is focusing on adult and children palliative care.
"South Africa signed the World Health Assembly ratification that palliative care should be provided at all levels of healthcare. Unfortunately the policy was written but never put into practise. The policy has expired. We are busy looking at how we can make it happen.
"Some of the things we will be discussing is why the policy hasn't been put into action and how palliative care has evolved over the years. It is not a recognised speciality in South Africa. It's primarily done by NGOs," said Brand.
She said they will also discuss how over the years they have evolved their programmes to meet an ever-growing need of people needing palliative care.
"We will look at some of the solutions that people found have worked in different communities with different patients with different diseases.
"What we are hoping will come out of the conference is what we refer to as the Durban declaration stating that palliative care is a human right both for adults and children and needs to be implemented at all levels of healthcare and should not only be provided by NGO practitioners but by state practitioners as well," said Brand.