Terminal Illness & End-of-Life Planning in Guinea: 5-Step Official Checklist

1. 1

   Coordinating Palliative Care, Hospital Follow-Up, and Medical Coverage

   • Hospital care pathways and supportive care: In the Republic of Guinea, specialized care for serious illnesses, pain management, and supportive care are coordinated through the national university hospitals (Ignace Deen National Hospital and Donka National Hospital in Conakry) as well as regional hospitals supervised by the Ministry of Health and Public Hygiene (Ministère de la Santé et de l'Hygiène Publique) [3] [5]. Families can request a structured medical summary from the attending hospital physician detailing the treatment protocol and arrangements for outpatient follow-up or home-based care [3] [5].
   • Health coverage and medical benefits: If your family member is a salaried worker insured under the general social security scheme, medical certificates and hospitalization records must be submitted to the National Social Security Fund (Caisse Nationale de Sécurité Sociale - CNSS), which administers the health insurance and medical care branches for insured workers in Guinea [4]. For civil servants or patients requiring medical evacuation, administrative procedures are handled through the competent departments listed on the Official Portal of the Guinean Administration (Portail Officiel de l'Administration Guinéenne - Service Public Guinée) and the Ministry of Health and Public Hygiene (Ministère de la Santé et de l'Hygiène Publique) [3] [5].
2. 2

   Documenting Medical Wishes and Designating a Trusted Family Representative

   • Written statement of care preferences: While your family member retains full mental clarity, they may prepare a dated and signed written statement expressing their preferences regarding medical care, pain management, and the limits of invasive life-sustaining interventions [3] [5]. This document should be provided to the clinical team at the facility operating under the Ministry of Health and Public Hygiene (Ministère de la Santé et de l'Hygiène Publique) so that it is placed in the patient's medical record [3] [5].
   • Designating a trusted family spokesperson: Families should ensure that the ill person designates in writing a trusted relative authorized to receive medical updates from physicians, coordinate urgent hospitalization decisions, and convey the patient's wishes if their health condition later prevents direct communication [3] [5].
3. 3

   Bank Mandates, Notarial Powers of Attorney, and Legal Protection

   • Executing a notarial mandate while legal capacity is intact: Under the Guinean Civil Code enforced by the courts and public officers under the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights (Ministère de la Justice et des Droits de l'Homme), a power of attorney is legally valid only if the principal possesses full mental capacity when signing [1] [2] [3]. It is therefore a priority to engage a licensed notary in Guinea (who can travel to the patient's bedside) to draw up an authentic general or special power of attorney (procuration notariée) authorizing a trusted representative to manage property, collect rent or pensions, and pay medical expenses [2] [3].
   • Specific bank powers of attorney: Alongside the notarial deed, your family member should sign the internal power-of-attorney forms required by each commercial bank in Guinea where they hold an account to ensure uninterrupted access to funds [3].
   • Court-ordered guardianship if capacity becomes impaired: If the patient's clinical condition permanently impairs their mental faculties before a power of attorney is signed, the family must petition the Court of First Instance (Tribunal de première instance) supervised by the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights (Ministère de la Justice et des Droits de l'Homme) to open a guardianship (tutelle) or curatorship proceeding to establish legal representation [2] [3].
4. 4

   Activating Disability Benefits and Maintaining Social Rights

   • Disability pension and third-party caregiver supplement: When a salaried worker insured with the National Social Security Fund (Caisse Nationale de Sécurité Sociale - CNSS) suffers a permanent reduction of at least two-thirds of their working or earning capacity due to a non-occupational illness before reaching retirement age, they may apply for a disability pension (pension d'invalidité) from the National Social Security Fund (Caisse Nationale de Sécurité Sociale - CNSS) [4]. If the fund's medical advisor certifies that the disabled insured person requires the constant assistance of a third person to perform ordinary activities of daily living, the disability pension carries a specific caregiver supplement [4].
   • Extended sick leave and daily allowances: Medical certificates for prolonged work stoppage must be submitted regularly to the employer and to the National Social Security Fund (Caisse Nationale de Sécurité Sociale - CNSS) to maintain daily sickness allowances and social coverage for the insured person and their dependents [4].
5. 5

   Preparing a Will and Verifying Civil Status and Property Documents

   • Drafting a will under the Guinean Civil Code: While the ill person retains full legal capacity, they can organize the distribution of their estate in compliance with statutory inheritance rules by executing an authentic will before a notary supervised by the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights (Ministère de la Justice et des Droits de l'Homme), or a holographic will written, dated, and signed entirely by hand [2] [3].
   • Advance verification of civil status records and land titles: In Guinea, any missing or irregular civil status record later complicates estate settlement and social benefit claims [1] [2]. Families are advised to verify now, following the requirements published on the Official Portal of the Guinean Administration (Portail Officiel de l'Administration Guinéenne - Service Public Guinée), the availability and accuracy of birth certificates, civil marriage certificates, the family record book, registered land titles (titres fonciers), insurance policies, and career statements from the National Social Security Fund (Caisse Nationale de Sécurité Sociale - CNSS), including consular legalization if any asset or heir is located abroad [1] [2] [4].

Official Authorities & Verified Contacts

Official Sources Checked by Clarvia

1. [1]
   Civil Status Procedures and Issuance of Official Records in the Republic of Guinea — Service Public Guinée (Gouvernement de la République de Guinée)
2. [2]
   Judicial Civil Status Procedures Before the Court of First Instance in Guinea — Service Public Guinée / Ministère de la Justice et des Droits de l'Homme
3. [3]
   Official Directory of Ministries of the Republic of Guinea (Health, Justice, Foreign Affairs) — Service Public Guinée (Gouvernement de la République de Guinée)
4. [4]
   Missions and Benefit Branches (Disability, Sickness, Old Age) of the CNSS of Guinea — Caisse Nationale de Sécurité Sociale (CNSS Guinée)
5. [5]
   Republic of Guinea Country Health Profile and Health System Overview — Organisation mondiale de la Santé (OMS)