Image: One of the last home visits conducted in Khartoum before the war. Here nurse Wafa is visiting a patient.
One of our PallCHASE Members from Khartoum, Sudan, Dr Nahla Gafer, currently based in Cairo, Egypt has been working tirelessly to ensure that the Palliative Care work that was started and invested in for many years will continue despite the conflict and insecurities mounting. She and her team want to ensure that patients and families in need of Palliative Care can access it during this time of conflict.
Summary
Since the war started, the palliative care program in Khartoum was halted. Members of the team are afraid to venture the streets, struggling for survival. This project will help Palliative Unit Team members to cover internet fees for care providers and patients to enable distant consultations, pay for travel expenses to conduct face-to-face homecare wherever possible (Damar, Medani, outskirts of Khartoum), and to buy medical supplies and essential medicines for patients.
Challenge
As all work and sources of income in Khartoum are in a standstill, members of the Palliative care team need assistance to pay for their essential needs and to continue to care for patients and families. Support will cover their work, internet fees for care providers and for patients for telehealth; Travel expenses to conduct face-to-face homecare wherever it is possible; and Medical and nursing supplies and essential medications.
Solution
The telephones of three staff members are distributed to patients and messages are received and sent via WhatsApp throughout the day. The nurses and psychologists receive phone calls. Joint video calls are scheduled to talk to and visually examine the patient, and/or discuss with the family. Through this fund, we will: – Provide medical treatment and psychosocial support – Provide medicines and supplies for patients – Provide financial support to palliative providers.
Long-Term Impact
All donations will support palliative care patients and providers in Khartoum affected by the war. Initially the fund will help local, vetted partners address the affected communities’ immediate needs, such as access to food, clean water, shelter, and healthcare. The fund will later focus on supporting rebuilding the palliative care unit in Khartoum oncology hospital. Only with international support, Sudan’s palliative care provision can return to some form of peace, stability, and peace.
For a full description of the work that has already been accomplished, you are invited to download and read this PDF: Sudan Project – Global Giving explanation PDF
CLICK HERE to support their work on the Global Giving platform.
