1. Cost Estimate of Delivering
Palliative Care to Children in
Kenya: Policy Implications
Professor Soonman KWON, Seoul
Atia Hossain, GIZ Health Sector Programme
1st National
Non-Communicable Diseases Forum
Republic of Kenya
Naivasha, Aug 24-26, 2011

2. Organisation of presentation
Background
Methodology
Purpose
Results
Policy recommendations

3. Background:
Human Rights Watch in 2010
showed that a significant
number of children are suffering
in Kenya due to the lack of
palliative care.
HRW report emphasizes the need to provide palliative care
and make morphine available to terminally-ill children.
Methodology:
Literature review
Interviews with practitioners and stakeholders

4. Purpose of Costing
Collect information on relevant costing issues
related to palliative care of children
Conduct normative assessment of the cost of
palliative care (including cost of chemical
interventions, i.e. provision of morphine)
Inform Government and Partners about the
cost and fiscal implications to provide
palliative care to children in need

5. Results: Assumptions (I)
Total # of children
(approx) 1.8 – 2.1 million
P
A
L
L
I
A
T
I
V
E
care
Children (up to 14 years) terminally ill
150,000-180,000
2.5% of
Total Children (up to 14 years) living with cancer
children 150,000-180,000 50%
Children (up to 14 years) living with HIV/AIDS Targeted poor
150,000-180,000 250,000

6. Results: Assumptions (II)
Morphine + 2,400-
other 2,600 KSh
medicines per child per
month
4,650 KSh
per child per
month
Public health facility
Medicines Consultation
9,300 KSh
per child per
month
Private health facility

7. Results: Cost of Palliative Care
41.8 bn Ksh
27.9 bn Ksh
13.9 bn Ksh
7.9 bn Ksh
Excludes cost of training: 2,224,339Ksh
for 8-day (5 days in-class & 3 days on-site)

8. Cost estimates presented is likely to be an
over-estimate of the true (societal) cost of
palliative care in Kenya, because it does not
include the potential savings in overall
health care costs as a result of providing
palliative care.

9. Policy recommendations
Palliative care should be seen more from a
human rights perspective
Political and financial commitments from the
government should be the main issue related
to palliative care, and with focus on:
Increase public awareness
Define roles of faith based health care organisations
Continuous education and raining
Define roles of morphine provision by nurses

10. Asante sana!