Island Hospice was the first hospice to be established in Africa, over 30 years ago. It is the largest provider of palliative care in the region, providing palliative health care for over 1,500 patients each month, approximately 20% of which are children, and over 75% of which are HIV infected. Island also cares for patients living with life threatening illnesses and provides a comprehensive therapeutic service for the bereaved family, including vulnerable groups and children.
Island Hospice is based in Harare but works throughout Zimbabwe and the wider region. It uses a multi-disciplinary approach working through a passionate and dedicated team of doctors, nurses and social workers supported by a large team of volunteer community care facilitators (secondary home-based carers) and youth groups.
In addition to its palliative care work the hospice also operates as an innovative training centre which provides palliative care training and mentorship to hospitals, clinics, health professionals, physicians, medical students and home-based care teams in many of the ten provinces of Zimbabwe, and in neighbouring countries. It has a comprehensive community bereavement service that is active in all areas of loss, including death, accidents, disasters, displacement, violence and other forms of trauma. The bereavement service has a speciality in the area of bereavement and trauma for children, and therefore is active in many schools and community settings. Because there is a lack of many resources and services that we, in the UK would normally expect to be provided by central or provincial government, Island Hospice Service has had to move into providing additional services that one would not normally associate with those normally provided by a hospice.
Island Hospice does not receive any funding from central government and is wholly dependent upon funds that it can raise itself from International and African donors. With the state of the Zimbabwean economy its finances are often pretty precarious and recently the Hospice has had to reduce its staff compliment, employing the bulk of its employees for the duration of particular funding commitments. The Diana Princess of Wales Fund was a major funds provider and Island Hospice is a recipient of funds from a collaboration of donors that include DFID, Netherlands Aid, Danish Aid, New Zealand Aid and Ausaid. Most of these aid initiatives are tied in with specific projects and problems do arise when a particular initiative comes to the end of its period funding.
Island Hospice & Bereavement Service UK was set up to aid the Hospice movement in Africa and also to ensure that any donated funds are only received by those to whom the funds were intended to be received. Island Hospice is run by a very dedicated staff, the majority of whom work for significantly less than they would earn in similar jobs in the aid sector and are truly grateful for any support that they may receive. They were particularly touched to be included as one of the charities that St John’s had selected to support.
Island Hospice Zimbabwe
Alan Brooks