Abstract

Palliative care in Ethiopia is constrained, especially in rural areas where the majority of the population resides. Present efforts and research are urban-centric and reliant on external donors. This study explores the status of palliative care, the factors enabling or hindering it, in Ethiopia's rural and regional healthcare contexts. For this qualitative regional case study, healthcare professionals from diverse backgrounds, including health planners and practitioners, participated in focus groups with rural community members and individual interviews. The findings reveal a lack of integration of palliative care into the healthcare system and limited inclusion in educational programs. Challenges include low awareness, insufficient care for chronically ill patients beyond those with HIV, and a misconception that palliative care falls outside the scope of their services. Consequently, families and patients often resort to informal care options. To improve palliative care access, recommendations include better integration into national healthcare plans and academic curricula, along with the utilization of mobile technology. Policy makers are encouraged to consider a multifaceted approach, encompassing home, community, and facility-based models, for palliative care implementation in rural and regional settings.