UK expat out to improve end of life care in Oman

When her husband died she made a promise that palliative care would be her new mission

MUSCAT: As Maggie Jeans watched her husband slowly pass away, she thought long and hard about the battle she had fought to have him die at home, surrounded by his loved ones and in his own bed.

At that moment, Maggie said, she made her husband a promise: that she would fight for end of life care at home in Oman to make sure nobody else has to.

Oman has a lack of proper palliative care, said Jeans, an OBE, and she is on a mission to fix it.

Jeans wants funding to provide better palliative care in the country, and she has her own reasons for doing so. Opening her heart to the

Jeans spoke about her husband’s final days and the realisation that proper care for the dying is something Oman’s health system lacks.

The 63-year-old, whose husband Dr. WD Jeans, a former Professor of Radiology at the Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) died in November last year, has promised to campaign for improved palliative care services in the Sultanate.

Palliative care is a multidisciplinary approach to specialised medical care for people with serious illnesses. It focuses on providing patients with relief from the symptoms, pain, physical stress, and mental stress of a serious illness—whatever the diagnosis.

Jeans said, “The goal of such therapy is to improve quality of life for both the patient and the family. Palliative care can be provided across multiple settings including in hospitals, in the patient’s home, as part of community palliative care programmes, and in skilled nursing facilities.”

“My husband, Dr. W D Jeans, former Professor of Radiology at SQU, died on November 2 last year. He died peacefully at home, which was his wish and with the support of our former medical colleagues from SQU. Without their support this would not have been possible.”

“There is an absence of palliative care in Oman and, particularly, palliative care at home. As a result, hospital beds are occupied unnecessarily because patients can’t be discharged because families don’t have the support they need for home care.

There is an absence of palliative care in Oman and, particularly, palliative care at home. As a result, hospital beds are occupied unnecessarily

Strong support

“When my husband died I made a promise that this would be my new crusade and I’m pleased to report that there is very strong support in Muscat for this idea.”

Palliative Care was one of three main themes discussed at the recent 6th Oman Health Exhibition and Conference, which took place from September 20 to 22, at the Oman International Exhibition Centre in partnership with the Ministry of Health.