UICC World Cancer Congress 2006

Objective: Most Cancer patients in rural Kenya die at home.The most prevalent form of maliggnancy in Migori district is Chilhood Burkitts Lymphoma,even though other forms are gaining prevalence,especially Karposis Sarcoma,due to the HIV/AIDS Pandemic which is rapidly spreading among the rural population.Breast and cervical cancer are equally prevalent.

There is generally poor accessibility to Healthcare Services due to:vast distances to healthcare facilities,coupled with abject poverty,low literacy levels as well as negative cultural beliefs,hence cancer patients do not seek medical intervention,and the few who do,only come when the disease is at advanced stages,and so they also opt to go back home to die, hence the need to empower community members to offer Home based Palliative care to these patients to ensure they die in and with dignity.

Methods: Method used is to identify Community Own Resource Persons,to act as primary care givers,and train them,to ensure that they have the neccessary and relevant knowledge,attitude and skills,to practice and care for these patients at home.They should also be able to mobilise locally available resources to ensure sustainability.

Results: The Patients,feel more at home being cared for by "their own" as opposed to "strangers" in the hospital environment,and they live and die in dignity,and at peace with themselves and the world around them.In the long run it is also cheaper to the family.