Burkina Faso takes major step forward on palliative care and access to morphine
Most of the world’s population live in countries where patients in severe pain are unable to access morphine or receive palliative care, as documented in a major 2017 report in the medical journal The Lancet, and millions each year are left in agony. This is also the situation in Burkina Faso in West Africa.
2 Dec 2019 | Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, Africa 
Hospice Burkina was founded in 2017 by Dr. Martin Lankoandé, an anesthesiologist with the mission to bring relief to patients in severe pain, most of them suffering from terminal cancer. OPIS has been supporting Hospice Burkina on this mission and in the organisation of this national conference.
Approximately 100 participants are expected, including stakeholders from the country’s health sector and several international speakers. Among them is Dr. Anne Merriman, founder of Hospice Africa and a pioneer in making liquid oral morphine available to patients in Uganda and in many other countries in Africa. The Minister of Health of Burkina Faso, Prof. Léonie Claudine Lougue/Sorgho, will be delivering an opening speech.
Dr. Anne Merriman
Jonathan Leighton, Executive Director of OPIS, will be talking about the prevention of intense suffering as a core ethical priority and the urgency of providing morphine to patients in need. During the second day of the conference, a workshop will be held where participants will discuss and finalise strategies to improve laws and regulations, implement training and relieve other obstacles to preparing and providing morphine to patients.
More information can be found here
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