On the occasion of World Hospice and Palliative Care Day, Head of Palliative Care Medicine at Princess Noura Oncology Center, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Jeddah, Consultant Dr. Nabil Mouaalamy, pointed out that awareness and education has become a local and a global strategy adopted by the Ministry of National Guard- Health Affairs as it has become an essential constituent for improving public health through raiding the awareness levels, cultivating healthy habits and practices and highlighting existing and available services are an integral part of this strategy. Speaking about the first educational campaign for palliative care, this year's slogan (#BecauseYouMatter) highlighted the palliative care specialty and raise the awareness of what the medical team can offer to patients suffering chronic and incurable diseases, as well as to his/her family through the multidisciplinary team that includes specialist doctors, specialized nurses, both religious and psychological guidance, social care, rehabilitation, physical therapy, charities and initiatives.
Executive Director of Medical Services - National Guard Health Affairs - the Western Region Dr. Mohammed Ahmed Al-Zahrani launched the medical exhibition accompanying the campaign with the participation of department officials.
Additionally, Dr. Al Mouaalamy said that the Palliative Care Department at Princess Noura Oncology Center, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Jeddah examines approximately 2000 patients annually covering inpatients and outpatient units. Oncology patients represent 75% of these patients and 25% of the other cases are of chronic diseases And non-cancerous. The World Health Organization has defined palliative care as an approach that improves the quality of life of patients and their families facing the problem associated with life-threatening illness, through the prevention and relief of suffering by means of early identification and impeccable assessment and treatment of pain and other problems, physical, psychosocial and spiritual. According to the World Health Organization, estimates that around 100 million people need palliative care, however, only 8% of those people receive it.
The Department of Palliative Care at the Princess Noura Cancer Center at King Abdul Aziz Medical City National Guard City in King Abdulaziz Medical City of the Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs launched the first educational campaign for palliative care under the slogan "Because you are of interest" in coordination with the International Day of Palliative Care. 14-15 October 2018.
Furthermore, Dr. Al Mouaalamy pointed out that there are three main aspects of the educational awareness campaign:
First: Defining Palliative Care and explaining this medical specialty to the general public , what can be provided and how to communicate with the specialists about these services.
Second: Defining Palliative Care to health practitioners and amend any misconceptions related thereto.
Third: More exposure of the Palliative Care specialization to premed and medical students in King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Science.
Last but not least, the campaign activities included a scientific symposium that involving lectures for health practitioners and health sciences students with many discussed topics, including:
Introduction to palliative care - palliative care and nursing roles - palliative and social services - pain management in cancer patients and home health care for palliative care.