Palliative care : a fundamental right for well-being

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Extract from the article: On Thursday 22 May 2025, around ten journalists from Togo's public and private media were briefed on palliative care. The meeting was organised by the Non-Communicable Diseases Surveillance Division with technical support from Hospice Africa Uganda,

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On Thursday 22 May 2025, around ten journalists from Togo's public and private media were briefed on palliative care. The meeting was organised by the Non-Communicable Diseases Surveillance Division with technical support from Hospice Africa Uganda, a pioneer in this field in Africa. Its aim was to involve media professionals in advocating for the development of palliative care in Togo.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), palliative care improves the quality of life of children and adults with serious or life-threatening illnesses. Palliative care encompasses physical, psychological, spiritual, social and cultural aspects, with pain management as a key element.

In Togo, the situation is worrying

The STEPS 2021 survey revealed a significant increase in non-communicable diseases such as hypertension, diabetes and cancer. In 2022, GLOBOCAN recorded more than 5,400 new cases of cancer and more than 3,600 deaths in Togo.  HIV/AIDS also affects around 1.9% of the population, with more than 100,000 people requiring palliative care each year. Despite some efforts, palliative care remains marginalised in Togo, hampered by a lack of political commitment, the absence of specialised facilities and limited availability of essential drugs such as morphine (a powerful painkiller rated level 3 by the WHO, mainly used to relieve severe pain).

Palliative care is an imperative for public health and human dignity. ‘Unfortunately, in Africa, many people only seek help at an advanced stage of the disease, which considerably limits the impact of this approach,’ laments Dr Eddie Mwebesa, Director of International Programmes at Hospice Africa Uganda.

The need for action

Faced with this situation, the Non-Communicable Diseases Surveillance Division is calling for palliative care to be fully integrated into the health system: "Palliative care is not a luxury. It is a right. Everyone has the right to health. Every life deserves to be lived and supported with dignity, including in its final moments. No one should have to suffer in silence, and no one should have to die in pain", insisted Professor Belo Mofou, Head of the Division for Surveillance of Non-Communicable Diseases in Togo.

Palliative care is not limited to the relief of physical pain. It also encompasses the psychological suffering associated with the news of a serious diagnosis. "The news of such an illness is deeply distressing. If a professional accompanies you, advises you and explains things to you, this can considerably improve your psychological well-being. This support is an integral part of palliative care," said Sylvia Dive, a specialist at Hospice Africa Uganda. In her view, palliative care should begin as soon as the diagnosis is announced and continue after the patient's death, by supporting family members in their grieving process.

In Togo, palliative care has been officially integrated into national health policy since 2014, with action plans within the national health development plan.

Esther KOLANI