Palliative care

Palliative care is a crucial part of integrated, people-centred health services (IPCHS). Nothing is more people-centred than relieving their suffering, be it physical, psychological, social, or spiritual. Thus, whether the cause of suffering is cancer or major organ failure, drug-resistant tuberculosis or severe burns, end-stage chronic illness or acute trauma, extreme birth prematurity or extreme frailty of old age, palliative care may be needed and integrated at all levels of care.

The 2030 Agenda slogan ‘Leave no-one behind’ means that governments trying to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 3 must develop palliative care policies to cover the 40 million persons (a total that includes at least 20 million carers) who require palliative care support globally. Currently, fewer than 10% of patient who need palliative care in low and middle-income countries receive it.