African hospital-based paediatric palliative oncology care independent
of economic indicators: an International Society of Paediatric Oncology
Global Mapping Programme survey.
Abstract
Background: Paediatric palliative care (PPC) is considered an
essential component of the management of children and adolescents with
cancer. The International Society of Paediatric Oncology Global Mapping
Programme surveyed hospital-based paediatric oncology facilities across
Africa from 2018-2020 to document PPC and provision of PPC services.
Procedure: An electronic and paper survey were widely
distributed to elicit the presence of components of PPC: PPC teams,
bereavement counselling services, patient support groups, and spiritual
and religious support. Results were correlated with the countries’ Gini
coefficient, World Bank income status indicators and Human Development
Index. Results: Hospital-based paediatric oncology facilities
in 16/54 African countries reported having all four PPC services while
those in 11 countries reported having none of the four PPC services. No
clear correlations were found between provision of such services and
selected economic factors. Conclusions: This study demonstrates
that hospital-based paediatric oncology facilities with limited
resources caring for children and adolescents can provide PPC. Adoption
of the World Health Organisation’s conceptual framework for palliative
care and knowledge transfer between African facilities on the
integration of PPC into paediatric oncology care, would benefit the
increasing numbers of children and adolescents with cancer across the
continent.