The first pediatric palliative care unit has opened in Vitebsk
A fully-fledged unit providing palliative care for young children has been established at the Vitebsk Specialized Children's Home. The Chief Physician of the medical institution, Elena Mizerkina, shares:
– We had a palliative care ward before. It had a minimal set of equipment and a limited number of beds. However, since there are no other similar units in the Vitebsk region, it was decided to open and technically equip a specialized unit. Unfortunately, the number of young patients who need this type of care is growing. Our children were born with organic lesions of the central nervous system, rare genetic diseases, severe metabolic disorders, and complex developmental defects. They require round-the-clock medical supervision and assistance. Parents are unable to provide the necessary conditions for them at home.
With the help of sponsors, the Children's Home acquired a ventilator, an oxygen concentrator, a pulse oximeter, and other essential equipment for the children, which will help alleviate their condition. Two medical posts have been organized in the palliative care wards.
The nurses, nannies, and doctors are mostly specialists with considerable experience working in hospital intensive care units. The specialists at the Children's Home maintain close ties with colleagues from the regional children's clinical center and relevant departments of the medical university.
The lives of these young patients are often hanging by a thread, so we constantly have to be on alert. Some children experience cardiac arrest three to four times a day, some cannot breathe on their own, and most are fed through a special tube. An individual rehabilitation program has been developed for each child. In parallel, the medical staff conducts training for parents.
Some parents, after completing courses on palliative care and the use of medical equipment, will be able to take their children home under the supervision of district pediatricians. For example, a personal ventilator can realistically be used at home. However, due to its absence or lack of necessary knowledge
– We had a palliative care ward before. It had a minimal set of equipment and a limited number of beds. However, since there are no other similar units in the Vitebsk region, it was decided to open and technically equip a specialized unit. Unfortunately, the number of young patients who need this type of care is growing. Our children were born with organic lesions of the central nervous system, rare genetic diseases, severe metabolic disorders, and complex developmental defects. They require round-the-clock medical supervision and assistance. Parents are unable to provide the necessary conditions for them at home.
With the help of sponsors, the Children's Home acquired a ventilator, an oxygen concentrator, a pulse oximeter, and other essential equipment for the children, which will help alleviate their condition. Two medical posts have been organized in the palliative care wards.
The nurses, nannies, and doctors are mostly specialists with considerable experience working in hospital intensive care units. The specialists at the Children's Home maintain close ties with colleagues from the regional children's clinical center and relevant departments of the medical university.
The lives of these young patients are often hanging by a thread, so we constantly have to be on alert. Some children experience cardiac arrest three to four times a day, some cannot breathe on their own, and most are fed through a special tube. An individual rehabilitation program has been developed for each child. In parallel, the medical staff conducts training for parents.
Some parents, after completing courses on palliative care and the use of medical equipment, will be able to take their children home under the supervision of district pediatricians. For example, a personal ventilator can realistically be used at home. However, due to its absence or lack of necessary knowledge
children are forced to live in a hospital environment for years due to their parents' circumstances. Now this problem can be solved.
Elena Begunova, "SB".