Palliative Care in Gambo, Ethiopia Understanding Stakeholders’ Perspectives and Barriers

Background: Palliative care is recognized as a human right within health care; however, access remains limited, especially in low- and middle-income countries. Ethiopia’s health care system faces numerous challenges, including a lack of trained professionals, inadequate policies, and restricted access to essential medications such as morphine. Objective: This exploratory study aimed to examine the cultural, sociological, and psychological barriers to implementing palliative care at Gambo Rural Hospital in Ethiopia. Methods: A qualitative exploratory design was used. Through interviews, perspectives, beliefs, and behaviors related to palliative care were explored, including cultural misconceptions present not only among the general population but also among physicians. Results: The findings revealed important cultural, sociological, and psychological barriers to the implementation of palliative care. Misconceptions and limited understanding of palliative care were identified at both community and professional levels, hindering its acceptance and integration into routine practice. Conclusions: This study underscores the urgent need to integrate palliative care into the training of health care professionals, address cultural and religious factors, and develop community-based palliative care models adapted to local contexts. To improve care, targeted educational initiatives and the incorporation of palliative care into national health strategies are essential to ensure that no patient, particularly those in underserved rural populations such as Gambo, is left to suffer unnecessarily.