Total of 80 Traditional Healers, Religious Leaders sensitized on availability of Children Palliative Care

Total of 80 Traditional Healers, Religious Leaders sensitized on availability of Children Palliative Care

                     

Childrens Palliative Care CPC has embarked on sensitizing Traditional Healers and Religious Leaders on the importance of sending children suffering from life limiting illnesses to the hospital to access Palliative Care Service.

Jean Tauzie Programme’s Coordinator for Children Palliative Care told FM 101 in an interview that at the moment the organization has reached over 50 religious leaders and traditional healers in central region alone and over 30 traditional leaders and religious leaders in northern region.

Tauzie says the response has been overwhelming and expects an improvement in number of children that are to access CPC services.

“We have reached over 50 religious leaders in the Central region particularly in the district of Lilongwe and Northern region, and 30 traditional healers were also reached in these two regions.” Said Tauzie

“We are really looking at getting awareness to these two groups because in our villages people would run to a traditional healer as the first help. So what we are saying is that those people should know the life limiting illness and they should be able to refer that patient to where they can get the services.”

She continued “For religious leaders it is the same, when people get illness they go to a religious leader for their support and prayers. And then those religious leaders should also be aware of the life threatening illnesses that are among our children and be able to refer. Yes we appreciate their spiritual support but after the spiritual support they should be sending those children to Palliative Care Services.”