The morphine shortage in Africa has posed major problems for critically ill patients over the past several decades. In West Africa, only 52 palliative care centers, such as hospices, have the unrealistic responsibility of providing treatment for 360 million people. Therefore, many countries don’t have enough drugs for those who need it most. In Senegal, the average patient who needs the morphine receives 13 mg annually, compared to the 55,704 mg people receive here in the United States on a yearly basis. In Sub-Saharan Africa, nine-tenths of cancer sufferers in moderate or severe pain ultimately die without the relief granted by opioids. I find it ridiculous that the governments of some African nations won’t provide the morphine, as opioids are very cheap and don’t nearly compare to the overwhelming costs of their other fundings, such as a military force and weaponry. All in all, those countries would end up having little to no military if their citizens are not healthy enough to fight in combat.
This issue stems all the way back from the war on drugs in the 1980’s and 90’s, as the crisis caused America to cut aid and impose sanctions on countries that were not tough enough on trafficking. To this day, taboos about opioid use, restrictions on prescriptions, and important barriers are still present in much of Africa. Much of this pain has been eased, however, as four/fifths of Uganda’s districts have at least one palliative care service. In addition, over 200 of its hospitals have inpatient palliative care units. Much of their success can be contributed to its adoption of oral morphine which is a very cheap and effective painkiller, its nurses being able to prescribe the morphine which is important because their is just one doctor for every 11,000 people, and its government support as officials see morphine as a useful painkiller rather than a shameful recreational drug. My confusion, here, is not being able to understand why other African nations can’t see eye to eye with Uganda. If the opioids are cheap and effective and will help treat their sick inhabitants, then why not take advantage of that opportunity?
Morphine still runs short in many African countries like Uganda, as only 11% of the need is met. However, its use has become normal and it is a lot more than what a lot of African countries have. If the rest of Africa can realize the extreme benefits morphine has on their sick people, then maybe future changes will be made and they can prosper too.