“If I had money, I would make a big party for Coast Hospice team and publish in the newspapers for all to appreciate what the hospice has done to me.” These are the kind words spoken by Mr. Salim Mwashimezi, a patient being taken care of by the Coast hospice.He said this during this years annual charity walk on 26th September 2009 where many schools from the region as well as other well wishers participated.
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Welcome to KEHPCA
The Kenya Hospices and Palliative Care Association (KEHPCA) which is the National Association, was formed to represent Hospices and Palliative care service providers in Kenya. The aim of the association is to scale up Palliative Care services in the country to bridge the very significant gap between those who get the services and those in need of the services. This encompasses addressing issues of accessibility, affordability and quality of the services. KEHPCA strives to develop effective working relationships and arrangements with various stakeholders, namely development partners & donors, bureaucrats, technocrats, legislators, regulators and interest groups to achieve her aim. The Association’s main activities include awareness & advocacy, education & training research, service delivery, programme developments and fund raising.
Bill Gates once said, “I believe we have more caring than we know what to do with ”. Let’s join hands and mobilize resources in order to provide care to those with incurable diseases and their families.
Namibia's capital Windhoek, host to APCA's 2010 Conference
Register now for APCA's 2010 Conference
APCA invites the palliative care community from Africa and overseas to its third triennial conference, in Windhoek, Namibia, from 15-17 September 2010. You can now register online at www.apca-windhoek2010.com, as well as submit abstracts, proposals for workshops and applications for bursaries, and find exciting sponsorship opportunities.
In a fun filled World Hospice and Palliative Care Day, KEHPCA and almost all Hospices & Palliative care providers and supporters in Kenya participated in a successful event at Ligi Ndogo grounds, Nairobi. There were seven under 14 teams playing football while palliative care messages were being passed to the crowd. The voices of policy makers, caregivers, health workers and families were heard with Dr. Osoro representing Hon. Beth Mugo Minister of Public Health and Sanitation as the guest of honor. What an entertaining day it was!
Annual Report 2008 It is a great pleasure to welcome all of you to the first KEHPCA Annual report of 2008. Since its inception, KEHPCA has successfully been involved in various programs and activities across the country, regionally and internationally focusing on our core areas of engagement which include: Awareness creation & Advocacy, Education & Training, Research, Service delivery, Programme development and Fund Raising. Read more.......
Nyeri Hospice Award
Nyeri Hospice has won a development award in the international Journal of Palliative nursing. The awards were held at the Landmark Hotel, London on the evening of 20th March 2009 to celebrate the outstanding work carried out by palliative nurses worldwide. Read more..
KEHPCA e-Newsletter
KEHPCA communication team is pleased to announce the launch of the first e-newsletter. This is the first edition highlighting the events of 2008 and we look forward to more publications in the future. Please click hereStop Stockouts Campaign
The association in collaboration with other partners both local and regional has participated in a campaign to stop stock-outs of essential medicines in Kenya. The official launch of this campaign took place on 25th February 2009 at Panafric Hotel Nairobi. One drug for pain control which is very vital in managing moderate to severe pain is morphine. The drug is very expensive due to the heavy taxation levied during its importation and therefore often unavailable. For more details read more....
New Kid on the block! Kakamega Hospice By Dr. Zipporah Ali
Hold fast onto Dreams, for if dreams fly, life is like a broken winged bird that cannot fly…I have always been inspired by these great words by the African American Poet, Langston Hughes, ever since I was in my early teens.
As KEHPCA, we have dreams, dreams to see palliative care accessible to everyone who needs it across the country, and that every health facility in Kenya will soon be able to provide palliative care as part of its essential services. These dreams are finally becoming realities!
In February 2008, despite the post election violence that was so evident in Kenya, I traveled to Kakamega, a town in Western Kenya, to meet with the Kakamega Provincial Hospital management team. They were very receptive to the idea of starting palliative care services within the hospital. In May 2008, KEHPCA Program Officer David Musyoki Jesca Nganga Training Coordinator of Nairobi Hospice and I, left for Kakamega town to hold a three-day training workshop for health care professionals, on Introduction to Palliative Care (Supported by both Help the Hospices and Open Society Institute). We were joined by Dr. Julius Onyango and Silvia Otieno of Kisumu Hospice, and Dr. Elijah Kerich, a palliative care doctor newly posted to Kakamega.
The participants were drawn from all the eight districts in Kakamega province. The training was very well received and I must say it was a great success, as it led to the birth of Kakamega Hospice, one beautiful room within the hospital! Kakamega Hospice started seeing patients in February 2009 and currently they have 30 patients. I visited the hospice on 28th April 2009, and was overwhelmed with how much they are doing and the positive spirit they have within the team despite very merger resources! Nurses Rose Otera and Caroline Okemba, who run the hospice, are so eager to talk about the difference the hospice has brought to their patients! ‘Daktari (doctor), we have never felt so happy to see out patients finally relieved of their suffering, both physical and emotional’ they say to me.
The Kenya Hospices and Palliative Care Association (KEHPCA) which is the National Association, was formed to represent Hospices and Palliative care service providers in Kenya. The aim of the association is to scale up Palliative Care services in the country to bridge the very significant gap between those who get the services and those in need of the services. This encompasses addressing issues of accessibility, affordability and quality of the services. KEHPCA strives to develop effective working relationships and arrangements with various stakeholders, namely development partners & donors, bureaucrats, technocrats, legislators, regulators and interest groups to achieve her aim. The Association’s main activities include awareness & advocacy, education & training research, service delivery, programme developments and fund raising. 
In a fun filled 
In February 2008, despite the post election violence that was so evident in Kenya, I traveled to Kakamega, a town in Western Kenya, to meet with the Kakamega Provincial Hospital management team. They were very receptive to the idea of starting palliative care services within the hospital. In May 2008, KEHPCA Program Officer David Musyoki Jesca Nganga Training Coordinator of Nairobi Hospice and I, left for Kakamega town to hold a three-day training workshop for health care professionals, on Introduction to Palliative Care (Supported by both Help the Hospices and Open Society Institute). We were joined by Dr. Julius Onyango and Silvia Otieno of Kisumu Hospice, and Dr. Elijah Kerich, a palliative care doctor newly posted to Kakamega.