Why better palliative care matters in Rwanda’s health system

Medicine has transformed lives by preventing disease, extending life and restoring health. Yet death remains an unavoidable part of life. A healthcare system should therefore be judged not only by the lives it saves, but also by how it cares for those it cannot cure.

The World Health Organization estimates that 56.8 million people need palliative care each year, but only about 14 per cent receive it. In Africa, access is even more limited, with fewer than five per cent of patients receiving the care they need despite the growing burden of cancer and other chronic illnesses.

These figures raise an important question: Why does palliative care matter?

Read the full article by Rutsobe Nsengiyumva, HERE