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palliative carelatest news & developments
Medical school prepares our future doctors to save lives. But with death being the endpoint for all of us, shouldn’t we be talking about it? Photo: Maria Luísa Queiroz/Unsplash
BIOETHICS

Let’s talk about death and dying

Medical school coursework includes teaching Western medicine’s standard ethical principle including discussions about patients’ rights, but what is not talked about is what death…

  • Heidi Matisonn
7 min read
Overextended: Palliative care NGOs want to go to the constitutional court to get funding for child health care. Photo: Tim Graham/Getty Images
CHILDREN

Terminally ill children suffer from neglect, say health experts

Many of these children die without any palliative support and experience unnecessary discomfort and pain, unless an overburdened NGO steps in.

  • Chris Bateman
8 min read
Hospital admissions in Africa have increased by 67% during the period but the bed occupancy rate for intensive care units remains low at 7.5%, with 14% of the patients receiving supplemental oxygen. (Photo by Sergei SavostyanovTASS via Getty Images)
ALIGND

Palliative care is the opposite of giving up

You can start palliative care at any stage of a serious illness, even as soon as you receive a diagnosis or start treatment, says Dr Linda Holding

  • Linda Holding
4 min read
Hospital admissions in Africa have increased by 67% during the period but the bed occupancy rate for intensive care units remains low at 7.5%, with 14% of the patients receiving supplemental oxygen. (Photo by Sergei SavostyanovTASS via Getty Images)
COVID 19

Palliative care needs to include spiritual care

The person who is dying needs relief from pain and symptom control and they their families also need psychosocial, bereavement, emotional and spiritual support

  • Ronita Mahilall
  • Leslie Swartz
5 min read
People in South Africa do not need to travel to Europe to have a dignified death, but more needs to be done to make that possible in hospitals, in hospices and at home. (Getty Images)
BRITIAN

Why I do not support active euthanasia

In a country where spirituality and faith play such an important role, the rational argument will not convince

  • Martin Bac
3 min read