The Public Health Strategy for Palliative Care

Abstract

The quality of life of at least 100 million people would have improved--if today's knowledge of palliative care was accessible to everyone. A Public Health Strategy (PHS) offers the best approach for translating new knowledge and skills into evidence-based, cost-effective interventions that can reach everyone in the population. For PHSs to be effective, they must be incorporated by governments into all levels of their health care systems and owned by the community. This strategy will be most effective if it involves the society through collective and social action. The World Health Organization (WHO) pioneered a PHS for integrating palliative care into a country's health care system. It included advice and guidelines to governments on priorities and how to implement both national palliative care programs and national cancer control programs where palliative care will be one of the four key pillars of comprehensive cancer control. The WHO PHS addresses 1) appropriate policies; 2) adequate drug availability; 3) education of policy makers, health care workers, and the public; and 4) implementation of palliative care services at all levels throughout the society. This approach has demonstrated that it provides an effective strategy for integrating/establishing palliative care into a country.

Reflections on the challenges and opportunities for palliative care in Nepal

“…Over the last two years, NAPCare along with partners from the Government of Nepal, WHO, and some international partners has been involved in developing a national strategy. This takes a public health approach 33 with the aim of integrating palliative care into the health system of Nepal so it is available to all who need it. The Ministry of Health in Nepal has now adopted the strategy as government policy.…”

Physical Therapy Interventions are Beyond Adjunct Care in Improving Quality of Life and Alleviating Pain Related to Cancer and its Treatment: Perspectives and Confronts

“…Among 12.7 million new cancer patients about 50% are from low income developing countries, where the resources for cancer pain alleviation are scarce and inadequate pain management is widely prevalent, harmful to patients and costly [18]. A WHO report indicates that 80% of cancer patients have no access to opiates [19].…”

Setting a Higher Standard in Cancer Care: Isn’ t it Time to Bring about a Change in Cancer Palliation?

“…In order to improve and sustain palliative care services in a country, four fundamental measures need to be considered: government policy, drug availability, education and implementation [8].…”