Island Hospice & Healthcare

Island Hospice Service is a local non-governmental organisation (NGO), registration number W.O. 27/79 and based in Harare, Zimbabwe. It was established in 1979 as the first Hospice in Africa and is well known as a centre of excellence. The initial objectives were to provide direct home-based palliative care to those with a life threatening illness and their families and a comprehensive bereavement service. Over the years, Island Hospice has adapted to the changing face of the disease pattern to expand its activities within its community and institutional (hospital, clinics, children’s home) based programmes. Due to the dramatically increased need for palliative care services, the training and capacity building of other communities (young careers, volunteers, care givers, youths, church groups) and professionals (doctors, nurses, teachers and other groups) is an essential component of Island hospice programme. This is in line with the vision of the organisation and the desire to spread the palliative care and bereavement concept to the whole country. Island Hospice is mainly involved in four areas of its work. These are: - 1. Community, Institutional and Home Based Care Palliative Programmes 2. Orphaned and vulnerable children’s Support (OVC) programmes (PSS, Bereaved & Young carers) 3. Palliative Care Capacity building, training & mentorship programmes 4. Research into palliative & bereavement program