Globally, about 1 in 10 of individuals in need of palliative care actually receive it even as demand rises, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The organization expects the need for palliative care to double by 2060.
WHO released the data in advance of World Hospice and Palliative Care Day, observed on Oct. 9. WHO estimates that more 56.8 million people worldwide need these services, including 25.7 million expected to die within one year. Close to 80% live in low- or middle-income countries.
“The world therefore needs urgent and concerted action to scale up access to quality palliative care services,” WHO indicated in a statement. “Palliative care is a human right and a moral imperative of all health systems.”
The organization released two documents to support further development of palliative care as well as assess the need for it. This includes a technical report containing globally applicable palliative care indicators for countries to monitor access to those services.
These indicators are designed to monitor access to palliative care services from nation to nation and inform policymakers and the medical community in decision-making, identifying health priorities and resource allocation.
WHO also released a technical brief focused on the quality of palliative care offered globally and to help identify areas for improvement.
“To date, monitoring the existence and maturity of palliative care services has been most often done by assessing the consumption of opioid analgesics,” according to WHO. “Although opioids are vital for pain relief, they are only one component required for the development of optimal palliative care services.”
The organization indicated that optimal palliative care requires a supportive policy environment, empowered communities, palliative care research, access to essential palliative care medicines, strong education and training systems for health care providers and attention to quality.
COVID-19 has brought the need for palliative care into sharp relief, WHO reported. Patients suffering from the intense physical and emotional suffering brought on by the virus need palliation for their symptoms, according to WHO. The organization also stated that all health professionals should have some degree of training in palliative care.
“Palliative care improves the lives of patients and their families who face the challenges associated with life-threatening illness and serious health-related suffering including, but not limited to, end-of-life care,” WHO said in its report.
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