Providing Dignified Palliative Care Services in Liberia

Area of Science:

• Global Health
• Palliative Care
• Public Health

Background:

• Liberia faces a severe shortage of palliative care, especially for advanced HIV/AIDS, TB, diabetes, and cancer patients.
• Limited healthcare access in rural areas and lack of social/economic resources exacerbate the problem.
• Home of Dignity (HoD) Health Center was established in 2013 to provide essential palliative care and address stigma.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe HoD's integrated health, agriculture, and education approach.
• To conduct a descriptive analysis of HoD's patient population and outcomes.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of patient characteristics (age, mobility, CD4 count) and outcomes (survival, reintegration) for HIV patients (2013-2017).
• Analysis included 182 HIV patients and over 365 chronically ill patients during the Ebola outbreak.

Main Results:

• Over half of the 182 HIV patients were bedridden upon arrival; 82% had CD4 counts between 100-350.
• A 66% survival rate was observed, with 90% of survivors successfully reintegrated into their communities.
• HoD also served over 365 patients rejected by other providers during the 2014-2015 Ebola outbreak.

Conclusions:

• HoD is a critical provider of last-option palliative care in Liberia.
• The center's experience highlights the need for training, supply chain development, and community outreach for sustainable palliative care.
• Urgent investment in holistic palliative and overall healthcare services is crucial for Liberia to reduce stigma and improve patient outcomes.