When the fight against HIV/AIDS started, the only means of pain relief from opportunistic infections was Aspirin and Paracetamol.
The advent of palliative care availed Morphine, a pain-relieving drug that made life bearable for people living with HIV and even those with cancer in Uganda.
When Dr. Ann Merriman of Hospice Uganda introduced it in 1993, the concept wasn’t only foreign, but Morphine was also not a drug that was readily available in any health facility.
Government had to amend the guidelines on controlled substances to avail morphine to people living with HIV and care.
Palliative care means that you can manage the pain so that the patient is more at peace, and their family is also able to care for them.
Currently, palliative care is offered as a service in clinics that offer HIV/AIDS care and cancer treatment services. The field of palliative care has also become a field of research of study.
Listen to our 3rd edition in the series on HIV at 30, and get in touch with your feedback.
