Utilization of Palliative Care Services in Patients with COVID-19 Admitted to an Intensive Care Unit at a Tertiary Hospital in Kenya
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to pose a threat to the lives of individuals across the globe. Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has faced additional challenges due to pro- vider shortages; scarcity of medical facilities and sup- plies; and mistrust of healthcare workers among patient populations.1 Palliative care, often underused, has an important role to play in pandemic settings, where a sig- nificant number of fatalities can be expected.2 The 2017 Lancet Commission on Palliative Care pointed out that the need for palliative care and pain relief has been largely ignored, even among those living through humanitarian crises.3 Integration of the palliative care service in Africa remains challenging due to a lack of well-trained palliative care specialist services, cultural unacceptability of end-of-life discussions and limited access to medications such as opioids.