An update on hospice and palliative care in Malaysia

 Dr Ednin Hamzah, Chairperson of Hospis Malaysia, looks ahead to 2015 in palliative care in his country, while raising issues that remain relevant worldwide. 
A new year beckons although it is preceded by a slew of human tragedies both in Malaysia and the world over. Torrential floods and the tragedies affecting Malaysian linked airlines in these past months bring sadness and grief to many in our communities. The economic situation is also a concern to many this year.So what does it mean to us within the palliative care arena? What will be the burden of disease that Malaysians will face this year? Are we dreading the possibility that we may have a serious illness? And if so, what is the level of capacity and standard of the medical services available in the country?

A report by the Economic Intelligence Unit on Healthcare Outcomes for 2014 saw Malaysia ranked 80/166 countries surveyed. What does this mean for us and for our loved ones if illness affects us in 2015?

The work of Hospis Malaysia

In the past year, Hospis Malaysia was referred 2,094 patients, an increase of 20% from 2013. The number of cases at any time under our care is usually between 400 and 450 patients spread across all sections of our society. Many cases are still referred at a very late stage.

Do Malaysians in need of palliative care have access to a standard of palliative care that could make a meaningful difference to their lives? In considering this, several questions should be asked.

In the descriptive context, what is the coverage of palliative care in Malaysia? What is the range of services available? These could include types of illnesses covered, hospital and community based care, government, charity or private facilities. Are there facilities for emergency care, either at home or in hospital? Read more

From ehospice

Published on: 18 March, 2015 | Last modified: 18 March, 2015