Development of paediatric palliative care in countries in the southern hemisphere

Fondation Dora provides financial support to Médecins du Monde Switzerland in the setting up of a pilot project to provide paediatric palliative care to vulnerable populations in countries in the southern hemisphere.

Paediatric palliative care involves overall care for a child and their family during treatment and also during a period of bereavement in care facilities and at home. The passion and appeal of professionals working in countries with limited resources is what drove Médecins du Monde Switzerland to respond to this need.

A preliminary phase in which a needs assessment was carried out took place from 2014 to 2015. This phase primarily paved the way for the sharing of different practices and expertises to promote integration and access to paediatric palliative care, as well as pain management in countries in the southern hemisphere.

The second phase began in 2016 and will continue until 2019. This phase aims at implementing changes in practices, in the concept of care and in relations and perceptions between the northern and southern hemispheres.

This second phase is organised around four main themes: training, care support, research and network, and advocacy. This phase is due to be rolled out in four countries: Cameroon, Nicaragua, DRC and Togo, in collaboration with local partners.

The programme benefits from the support of several technical partners: laboratoire THEMA of the Social Sciences Institute of the University of Lausanne, the Réseau Francophone de Soins Palliatifs Pédiatriques (Francophone Network for Paediatric Palliative Care) and Associazione per l’aiuto Medico al Centro America (AMCA).

Fondation Dora supported this programme for six years, from 2014 to 2019.