Island Hospice and Healthcare (Island) was founded in 1979 and was the first hospice in Africa.Today, it provides palliative and bereavement care services including pain management, symptom control services and counselling. It provides training to those working in the field of palliative care and works closely with the Ministry of Health and Child Care to support its integration of palliative care into the public health system.
True Colours’ work with Island in Zimbabwe began in 2017 and has seen great strides made in Ministry’s integration process. In 2024, True Colours approved a two-year grant to Island towards a project to further integrate palliative care into health systems in the province of Mashonaland East in the north-east of Zimbabwe. Activities will be focused around three hospitals: Chitungwiza Central Hospital, Marondera Provincial Hospital, and Mahusekwa District Hospital. Healthcare professionals from the three hospitals will receive dedicated training in palliative care as well as ongoing mentorship and supervision.
Health care professionals from rural health facilities will also receive training and will be equipped to cascade training to village health workers in their area to ensure that those working in communities are able to identify and refer patients who would benefit from palliative care. In addition, the rural health facilities will be provided with data and support to enable them to provide remote support to clinicians and patients.
Throughout the project, Island will participate in provincial and district-level meetings to advocate for the inclusion of palliative care in strategic planning and budget setting which will promote the institutionalisation of palliative care.
The ambition for this project is that it will demonstrate how palliative care can be fully integrated at provincial level, and that other provinces will be inspired and equipped to replicate the successes of this province.
Further information on Island Hospice and Healthcare can be found here.
