Project Overview

The broad aim of the St Nicholas Bana Pele Network is to reduce the impact of HIV and AIDS and other life limiting conditions on children and their families/caregivers through coordinated comprehensive paediatric palliative care.

The concept of Bana Pele Network, was developed with the long term sustainability of the project model in mind, and this would be achieved by  imparting specific knowledge and skill (central to the development of this network) to other organisations in the Free State to provide quality Palliative Care for children. As a result, these efforts will ensure continued existence of the project model beyond the generous financial support provided by PEPFAR.

The aim with the establishment of the provincial children’s network is to expand the project to reach all districts of the Free State through partnering with organisations with existing children’s programmes. The move further aims to take Palliative Care services to other parts of the Free State where the provision of such care was limited, or non-existent. This initiative marks the beginning of the creation of a safety net of services for all children with or affected by life limiting and/or life threatening illnesses in the Free State.

This partnership will be an important mechanism for building and sustaining capacity in providing quality CPC, across the province and to increase the efficiency of the health and community service system to potentially make a bigger impact.