Palliative Care in Papua New Guinea

Abstract

In June and July 2001, Dr. Nell Muirden traveled from Melbourne, Australia to Port Moresby General Hospital and Angau Memorial Hospital located in Lae, in Papua New Guinea. This visit was supported through an International Association for Hospice and Palliative Care Traveling Fellowship. Dr. Muirden's visit greatly increased awareness about cancer pain and the importance of palliative care and pain relief in cancer and other terminally ill patients. She developed a discussion paper relating to the drugs needed for palliative care and the changes that should be made. The Pharmaceutical Advisory Committee subsequently adopted these recommendations, which will lead to a better range of medications to treat pain becoming available throughout Papua New Guinea.

Key Words:

• Palliative care
• hospice
• Papua New Guinea
• International Association for Hospice and Palliative Care
• IAHPC
• traveling fellowship

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Nell Muirden

Cherokee Layson-Wolf, PharmD, is Assistant Professor at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy. At the time that this review was conducted, she was a Community Care Pharmacy Practice Resident at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Perry G. Fine, MD, is Professor of Anesthesiology, School of Medicine and Associate Medical Director, Pain Management Center at the University of Utah Health Sciences Center, Salt Lake City; and National Medical Director, VistaCare, based in Scottsdale, AZ. This commentary is based on an article in Dr. Fine's VistaCare Palliative Medicine Monitor.

Jonathan R. Gavrin, MD, is the Internet editor for the Journal. He is Associate Professor of Anesthesiology and Adjunct Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Washington School of Medicine; Associate Member, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center; and Associate Director for Clinical Anesthesia Services, Harborview Medical Center.

Philip J. Wiffen, is the Regional Pharmaceutical and Prescribing Adviser, Anglia & Oxford Region of the National Health Service Executive, a member of the Oxford Regional Pain Relief Unit and Coordinating Editor of the Cochrane Collaboration Pain Palliative and Supportive Care Collaborative Review Group.

Philip J. Wiffen, BPharm, MRPharmS, MFPHM (Hon) is Regional Pharmaceutical and Prescribing Adviser, Anglia & Oxford Region of the National Health Service Executive, a member of the Pain Relief Unit, Churchill Hospital, and Coordinating Editor, Cochrane Collaboration Pain Palliative and Supportive Care Collaborative Review Group.

Howard A. Heit, practices pain medicine and addiction medicine in Fairfax, Virginia, and is Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine at Georgetown University, Washington, DC. Dr. Heit was a member of the Liaison Committee on Pain and Addiction.

Philip J. Wiffen, is Regional Pharmaceutical and Prescribing Adviser, Anglia & Oxford Region of the National Health Service, a member of the Pain Relief Unit at Churchill Hospital and Coordinating Editor of the Cochrane Collaboration Pain Palliative and Supportive Care Collaborative Review Group.

Last Acts is a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation funded campaign to improve end-of-life care by a coalition of professional and consumer organizations. This coalition works to improve palliative care, focused on managing pain and making life better for individuals and families facing death. Last Acts envisions a world in which dying people and their loved ones receive excellent care and are honored and supported by their community.

S. R. Ghooi, MBBS, is a Medical Consultant in New Delhi.

Gustavo G. De Simone is Medical Oncologist (with Diploma in Palliative Medicine) and Pallium Latinoamérica Association Medical Director and Chief, Section on Palliative Care, Hospital Bonorino Udaondo, Bonpland 2287 (1425) Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina ( [email protected].

The Reverend John S. Lunn, RN, MDiv, is Palliative Care and Hospice Consultant, Global Ministries for the Disciples of Christ and United Church of Christ, and former President, Board of Directors, Kauai Hospice, Hawaii.