Message from Founder of Hospice Africa (HA)

Dear Friends of Hospice and Palliative care,

Hospice Africa was the first organisation to commence with a vision for the palliative care for the whole of Sub Saharan Africa. HA commenced in 1992 and was registered in the UK in 1993. The means to reach sub Saharan Africa was to develop a "model" hospice which would be affordable and culturally acceptable to Africa and could be adapted to the different circumstances.

Uganda as chosen for the model after a feasibility study in four countries out of seven who asked us to assist them to establish palliative care.

HAU is now well established and through the networking with the Ministry of Health and other Organisations in Uganda, palliative care has spread to 60% of the Districts in Uganda. Uganda is now truly a model for other African countries.

The International Programmes team are working on the ground with 8 initiatives in 5 countries in Africa (Malawi, Cameroon, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Rwanda and Ethiopia). So the initial vision is now becoming a reality. But there is so much more to be done!

Clinical and educational programmes have increased and a university department under Internal Medicine was realised in 2008. as the Palliative Medicine Unit, Makerere University. This is another first for Africa in Uganda.

This year (2010) the Diploma in Palliative care for all Africa in conjuction with makerere University, commenced in 2002, was upgraded to a three year Batchelor