Palliative care training in Kicukiro District: Rwanda Military Hospital, Masaka Hospital, Health Centers, and Community Health Workers.

Palliative care

Masaka Hospital is a government-funded hospital that provides a wide range of healthcare services to the community. It covers 10 health centers in its catchment area, i.e Kicukiro district. Recognizing the need for high-quality palliative care services in Rwanda, the African Center for Research on End-Of-Life Care (ACREOL) conducted a series of training programs to create model palliative care teams integrated into the government healthcare system that is affordable, sustainable, and scalable. The training programs were designed to improve cancer patients and their family caregiver’s quality of life by equipping healthcare personnel with the knowledge and skills necessary to provide comprehensive palliative care services.

ACREOL acknowledges and appreciates the Rwanda Military Hospital, Masaka Hospital, and Health Center authorities for allowing us to conduct these training programs. The health facility’s commitment to improving the quality of care for cancer patients is evident in its decision to participate in these trainings. The collaboration between ACREOL and the Kicukiro district represents a critical step towards providing accessible, high-quality palliative care services in Rwanda.

This report outlines the training programs conducted by ACREOL at the facilities and provides an overview of the outcomes achieved. The report describes the structure of the training programs, the methods used, the feedback received from the participants, and the impact of the training on providing palliative care services at the hospitals. The report also discusses the challenges encountered during the training programs and provides recommendations for future efforts to improve palliative care services in Rwanda.