Addressing the Gaps in Palliative Care: PALPRAC and EMGuidance Join Forces
Palliative care remains one of the most underutilised medical services worldwide, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The Lancet Commission on Palliative Care and Pain Relief’s 2017 report and the WHO’s 2023 report, “Left behind in pain: Extent and causes of global variations in access to morphine for medical use and actions to improve safe access,” highlight the inadequate access to essential pain relief including oral morphine, in particular in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Despite being a WHO essential medicine and included in South Africa’s Essential Drugs List (EDL), morphine remains difficult to access due to procurement inefficiencies, governance issues, and misconceptions.
In South Africa, only doctors can prescribe morphine, while nurses are limited to dispensing it. Supply chain disruptions often leave hospitals and clinics without stock. Many patients and families have to travel long distances for their medication. Additionally, inadequate palliative care training leaves many healthcare providers uncertain about proper prescribing and management of side effects.
To address some of these challenges, PALPRAC has partnered with EMGuidance to develop short palliative care training modules. EMGuidance, a widely used South African digital medical information hub, serves over 34,300 doctors, 6,200 specialists, 1,170 pharmacists, and 16,500 nurses. These modules aim to enhance healthcare providers’ knowledge and competencies in the management of pain and other distressing symptoms.
The first module focuses on the basics of morphine prescribing, dispelling myths and offering practical guidance. By improving education and equipping healthcare providers with essential skills, PALPRAC and EMGuidance are working towards better pain management and enhanced quality of life for patients in need of palliative care.
Sign up for the course here: https://academy.emguidance.com/course/prescribing-oral-morphine-in-palliative-care
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