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What people don’t realise is how expensive it is to die

Hospice Palliative Care Association (HPCA) CEO Liz Gwyther told Times Select that hospices rely on overseas donations and fundraising initiatives to keep their operations going. Only 10% of their funding comes from the government.

There are 140 independently run hospices in SA, who operate under the umbrella of the HPCA, which accredits them against a set of standards.

Research shows that dying people live longer in hospices when their emotional and physical pain is taken care of, said Gwyther.

But there is a “scandalous” lack of funding for South African hospices, said Shaun Thomas, HPCA marketing.

“When funding runs out, what happens to the patients?” asked Gwyther, a palliative care doctor.

She said doctors are often quoted as saying there is nothing more that can be done for a terminally ill patient. But “there is always something more”. Well-trained doctors with experience in pain management can control pain, including pain caused by cancer, she said.

Reference: Times Live Article