CAN purchases land for a new hospice

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The Cancer Association of Namibia (CAN) has acquired the land on which it intends to erect Namibia’s first specialised palliative care facility for cancer patients.

The first phase of the project, with a budgeted N.dollars 7.5 million to purchase, renovate, and expand the current property, represents the welfare organisation’s single largest investment in the fight against cancer in Namibia.

CAN Chief Executive Officer, Rolf Hansen, in an interview with Nampa on Thursday, said the centre aims to compliment the already existing support programmes offered by CAN for cancer patients in the country, and is focused on integrating with existing medical treatment programmes of both state and private cancer care.

‘The final goal of our current 10-year strategic plan, which expires in 2025, is palliative care Namibia. Due to a lack of funding, palliative care, an essential part of cancer treatment, frequently lags in low-and-middle income countries. There is some palliation in Namibia, whether it be through hospital care or home-based assistance. However, in addition to a training centre of excellence and specialised hospice units, a national policy, framework or guidelines are not yet available,” he said.

According to Hansen, the new centre will benchmark with similar institutions in the Western Cape of South Africa, while specialisation in this field of study is already underway through the University of Cape Town’s Palliative Care Programme.

Capacity building and in-hospital training will be assisted with by Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town, and local training will then be presented by Palliative Care Namibia through the ongoing support of both UCT and Groote Schuur Hospital, he said.

“Namibia currently lacks compassionate and homelike environments where patients can either recover, stabilize or have a dignified end of life, so there is a need for a centre of excellence in palliative care training. Through the Palliative Care Namibia program and appropriate facilities, the Cancer Association of Namibia hopes to address this need and provide assistance to Namibians battling cancer,’’ said Hansen.

The Windhoek East Centre is anticipated to open in the middle of 2023, while a Windhoek West unit is anticipated to open by the year’s end.

CAN also intends to extend its reach to Namibia’s coast, where the CAN Erongo Center already operates in Swakopmund.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency