Palliative Care progress in Benin: a situation analysis using the WHO development indicators

Abstract

Context Palliative care (PC) situation in most African countries remains underdiagnosed. Benin has piloted the implementation of a set of indicators proposed by the WHO to measure PC development. Objectives To examine the current state of PC in Benin. Methods A workshop with stakeholders was organized to validate the WHO indicators in the Beninese context. Indicators were rated by relevance and feasibility, data sources were agreed, and a survey adapted. Data were collected between March and May 2023. Results There is emerging community involvement in PC through the presence of patients' rights promoters, as well as a political commitment expressed in the National PC strategy, the inclusion of PC services in the list of basic health services, and an assigned national authority –within the Ministry of Health- responsible for PC. While no PC-oriented research is documented, the celebration of the National PC Conference represents a first step to ground PC delivery in evidence. Reported annual consumption of opioids is 0.18 (ME) milligrams per capita, 34% of healthcare establishments have essential medicines for pain and PC and 16.5% of patients with palliative needs have access to oral morphine. To date, none of the medical or paramedical schools offers PC training and there is no official specialization in palliative medicine for doctors. PC is provided by 11 specialist teams (0.08/100,000 inhabitants) none of which provide pediatric care. Conclusion Despite growing political, professional, and community commitment, there are challenging shortcomings in education, research, essential medicines, and access to PC services.