The Institute of Hospice and Palliative Care in Africa (IHPCA) is an ‘Other Degree Awarding Institution (ODAI)’ under Hospice Africa Uganda (HAU) Limited. The IHPCA started in 1993 as the education department of HAU and in 2009, it was recognized by the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) as a tertiary Institution of Higher Learning and it became the Institute of Hospice and Palliative Care in Africa (IHPCA). At the same time it was granted a provisional license to confer Degrees and Diplomas in affiliation with Makerere University.
The IHPCA also has a vibrant and responsive Research and Ethics Committee called the Hospice Africa Uganda Research and Ethics Committee (HAUREC).
Academic programs
• Diploma in Clinical Palliative Care (12 months, residential) since 2003
• Diploma in Palliative Care (12 months- by distance learning) since 2006
• Bachelor of Science in Palliative Care (3 years –by distance learning) since 2010
• Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical Palliative Care (1 year – distance learning) since 2017
• Postgraduate Diploma in Paediatric Palliative Care (1 year –distance learning)2017
• Postgraduate Diploma in Psychosocial and Spiritual Palliative Care (1 year) 2017
• Postgraduate Diploma in Palliative Care Oncology (1 year) since 2019
• Postgraduate Diploma in Pharmacotherapeutics in Palliative Care (1 year) since 2019
• Masters of Science in Palliative Care (2 years – distance learning) starting 2019/2020
Short Courses
In addition to the Academic Programmes, the Institute conducts short courses annually or on request for:
• Health Professionals and Health Service Managers
• Allied Health Professionals
• Community Volunteer Workers
• Spiritual Leaders/Advisors
• Traditional Healers
• Initiators of palliative care services
• Health Tutors in Schools of Nursing
• Medical students
Coming soon is the Masters in Palliative Care.
The Institute has adequate number of lecture rooms and offices and is also sensitive to the education needs of the working sector thus most of the courses are offered as distance learning.