DOWA-(MaraviPost)-The Palliative Care Association of Malawi (PACAM) this week said about 70 percent of palliative patients are in dire need of Morphin, a drug that eases pain in incurable, life-limiting illnesses including HIV and AIDS, cancer, and other chronic conditions.
The demand has been necessitated by legal framework that prohibits willy-nilly prescription of the drug by any health worker.
Malawi’s health laws only allow medical doctors and clinical officers to prescribe the drug to patients leaving other health personnel working in remotest rural areas.
This has created a huge demand for Morphin in rural health facilities which doctors and clinical officers are hardly posted to work.
With the campaign launched, PACAM puts its energies to review policies and legal framework aiming at allowing nurses and medical assistants to take charge of the drug to reach many patients who are living and dying in pain when the drug is available.
Addressing the media orientation at Mponera in Dowa district, Lameck Thambo, PACAM Executive Director observed that due to legal complications on Morphin prescription by only Doctors and clinical officer, many rural palliative patients have been left in pain.
Thambo emphasized the need for all stakeholders in the health sector to seriously review policies and laws that impede Morphi provision to ease the demand in rural areas.
He therefore urged the media in the country to help the association in the campaign that more palliative patients are reached with drug.
“PACAM through the OSISA Legal project phase III is implementing the project on improving access to pain relief medications including Morphin. This drug is only prescribed by doctors and clinical officers which has left many palliative patients in pains.
“We want the current health laws on opiods where Morphin belongs to be reviewed to accommodate other health personnel including medical assistants and nurses. This will help to reach many patients in rural areas,” Thambo said.
The orientation attracted media houses from print, electronic and online forming a task force towards reviewing the laws to opiods.
Palliative care focuses on improving the quality of life of people faced with incurable, life-limiting illnesses including HIV and AIDS, cancer, and other chronic conditions, through relieving pain, preventing suffering, and supporting the best possible quality of life for both adults and children and the families.
World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that one percent of the total world population, is in need of palliative care, however, only 14% of them, are able to access it.
Malawi is among the 20 countries in the world that has made strides in integrating palliative care into public health facilities, CHAM, and private facilities.
Currently, 32% of the 174,000 people who need palliative care in the country, are able to access the services.