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Momodou
Denmark
11639 Posts |
 Posted - 24 Oct 2013 : 18:38:24
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From AP Mobile
Tens of thousands lack pain medication in Senegal
Published: Today
DAKAR, Senegal (AP) - Tens of thousands of people in Senegal struggling with advanced cancer and other illnesses are left with only basic headache medicines to treat their pain because the country does not have enough morphine in stock, according to a report released Thursday.
Only about 1 kilogram (2.2 pounds) of the powerful opioid drug is available each year in the West African country - enough for less than 200 people, Human Rights Watch found. As a result, those already confronting the pain of death are now spending their final months often unable to even sleep or eat because of their agony.
Fatoumata Seck, a 33-year-old woman from Mali battling advanced cervical cancer, described her pain without morphine as "infernal." She told Human Rights Watch it was "by far the worst pain" she'd ever felt in her life, even after having delivered six babies.
Morphine's use has long been strictly regulated because of the potential for addiction and overdose. Advocates, though, say as a result people in the final stages of cancer are needlessly dying in excruciating pain.
As in many countries in West Africa, Senegalese families struggle to pay not only the costs of medical care but also for travel expenses to hospitals and clinics in the capital. Many patients are diagnosed in the advanced stages of cancer because early screening is not available or out of reach financially.
"Unless palliative care becomes available near their homes, these people will continue to die in horrific circumstances when they fall ill with cancer or other chronic illnesses," the report said.
Senegal's National Pharmacy says it has added oral morphine tablets to its 2012 essential medicines list and plans to begin importing more of it later this year.
Government regulations, though, still require patients to get the drug from only a limited number of regional and national hospitals. Restrictions on prescriptions also mean families must refill morphine weekly.
And even when family members do make the journey, sometimes they find the drug is not in stock. Only a handful of places have oral morphine at all, and the report found the "complication authorization and important process creates many opportunities for delays."
Alboury Seck told HRW during one morphine shortage he sent a relative abroad in hopes he could bring back some of the drug. He rationed his remaining pills but nothing else could keep the pain from advanced prostate cancer at bay.
"I tried to bear the pain for two to three days, and when I could not handle it, I would take one pill," he said. "I went to all the pharmacies and they do not sell it. I tried to use Tylenol, Motrin, it is the only thing I have with me. Two, three, four times a day, but it is not enough. Only the morphine works."
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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toubab1020
12306 Posts |
Posted - 24 Oct 2013 : 19:56:47
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"Only a handful of places have oral morphine at all, and the report found the "complication authorization and important process creates many opportunities for delays."
This highlights just one of the many problems facing African countries and the way the administration tries its best to prevent drugs like morphine becoming "currency" for those unscrupulous people who MAY find the theft of these drugs and reselling onto drugs dealers very difficult to ignore bearing in mind the financial circumstances that MANY Africans find in living their lives.
How can this shortage in pain relief for the sick be remedied?
I feel that is is an issue that the administration should urgently consider and bring about improvements in the supply and availability for the sick who are in extreme untreated pain.
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"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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Edited by - toubab1020 on 24 Oct 2013 19:58:29 |
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gambiabev
United Kingdom
3091 Posts |
Posted - 24 Oct 2013 : 22:03:37
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If this was only available at a hospital, perhaps the hospital could increase security to avoid theft? It makes me so sad to think of people dying in unnecessary pain.
Do any countries in Africa have a hospice system? |
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rassimian
United Kingdom
168 Posts |
Posted - 15 Nov 2013 : 13:39:02
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| The tragedy of the plight of Senegalese and I would think many many other thousands of people throughout the world is that the production of the opium poppy in Afghanistan has increased year by year (despite the presence of UK and US forces) and the opium is being converted to heroin for illegal consumptiom in the west. The UN could buy the opium from the farmers thus ensuring them a legitimate income and at the same time providing the world health authorities with sufficient supplies of morphine. But forget logic or humanitarian concerns. They don't seem to apply in this situation. |
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