Health delegates to focus on palliative care of patients

Oman Saturday 11/August/2018 20:03 PM
By: Times News Service
Health delegates to focus on palliative care of patients

Muscat: A seminar to discuss the quality of life for patients will be hosted at Grand Hyatt Hotel on Tuesday, August 14.
The event will focus on palliative care for Oman. The meeting will be opened by the Minister of Health, Dr. Ahmed Mohammed Al Saidi, and the keynote speaker will be Professor Richard Harding from the Centre for Global Health Palliative Care, Cicely Saunders Institute, King’s College, London.
In Oman, palliative care is still in its infancy, and consequently, many beds in acute hospitals are blocked by patients who would benefit from this specialised form of care with its many advantages.
The Oman Cancer Association recently funded the training of 180 nurses for palliative care in the community, which enables patients to be cared for in their own homes, and more such training is planned. The Oncology Department at the Royal Hospital is spearheading this community care approach.
A comprehensive Cancer Care Centre is being built at Sultan Qaboos University, funded by Royal Court Affairs; this project will also incorporate palliative care.
Palliative care has a role to play in the care of elderly, and particularly for patients suffering from dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. As the ageing population grows, there will be an increasing demand for special health care services for senior citizens.