Government to introduce palliative care policy

The Ministry of Health is initiating plans to introduce palliative healthcare policy into the country’s health delivery system to improve the quality of life of patients.

Palliative care is the active holistic care for individuals across all ages, especially the aged, suffering from serious health-related conditions emanating from severe illnesses.

Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, the Minister of Health, who announced this, said the aim was to improve the quality of life of patients, their families and caregivers.

Speaking at a passing-out parade of the Ninth Batch of Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) at the Paramedic and Emergency Care Training School (PECTS) at Nkenkaasu, he said the plan was part of government’s continuous interest in improving healthcare for the people.

Some 495 recruits were admitted into the National Ambulance Service.

Mr Agyeman-Manu said the palliative care policy would allow health professionals to attend to patients in their homes.

He said when the policy was introduced, the National Ambulance Service would be among the key role players, since emergencies often occurred in palliative care, especially in the cases of terminal illnesses.

The Minister said government was committed to improving healthcare infrastructure not only to enhance the quality of care but also to improve access to timely healthcare in all parts of the country.

Mr Agyeman-Manu emphasised the improvement on emergency services and said recent tragedies in some parts of the country, caused by natural and man-made disasters, called for adequate preparedness to reduce fatalities.

He said it was necessary to build a high-level preparedness in communities, with emphasis on equipping every household with adequate knowledge and a heightened level of awareness, to minimize, if not prevent altogether, any damage to life or property in the event of a disaster.

Government was investing in preparedness and mitigation initiatives, he said, to protect the lives of residents and other stakeholders as well as prime businesses that were key drivers of national economic growth.

He said the continuous upgrading and enhancement of Emergency Medical Services was crucial in the country’s overall preparedness and resiliency to disasters, whether natural or man-made.

The Minister commended the Board and Management of the National Ambulance Service for building a resilient emergency system for the country.

Professor Ahmed Nuhu Zakaria, the Chief Executive of the National Ambulance Service, commended the Government for its continuous support, leading to an increase in the fleet of ambulances, paramedics and other logistics for the Service.