Cancer association launches Palliative Care Fund for financially vulnerable patients

The Cancer Association of Namibia (CAN) has introduced a new initiative to support cancer patients in need of end-of-life care.

Palliative Care Namibia, a division of CAN, officially launched the Palliative Care Fund last week, to provide financial assistance to those struggling to access essential palliative and hospice services.

According to CAN chief executive Rolf Hansen, the fund aims to address the increasing demand for nursing care, pain relief medication such as morphine, and other essential supplies like adult nappies.

Hansen said these items are often difficult to obtain through the state healthcare system and can be costly when purchased from pharmacies.

“We are receiving numerous requests from the public for nursing care and medication support which are often difficult to obtain within the state healthcare system,” Hansen said.

The new fund will operate under the same administrative guidelines as CAN’s existing Patient Financial Assistance Programme.

Hansen said the fund, however, is specifically focused on raising money for cancer patients in urgent need of palliative care support.

He added that the current financial assistance programme, which has a budget of N$2 million for this financial year, is already overstretched due to high demand, prompting the creation of the dedicated Palliative Care Fund.

Hansen called on corporations and the business community to contribute to the Palliative Care Fund, emphasising the critical role its support would play in easing the financial burden on families during such challenging times.