Palliative care - World Health Organization (WHO) 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
Palliative care - World Health Organization (WHO) WHO defines palliative care as an approach that improves the quality of life of patients – adults and children – and their families who are facing problems associated with life-threatening illness It prevents and relieves suffering through the early identification, impeccable assessment and treatment of pain and other problems, whether physical, psychosocial, or spiritual
Palliative care - World Health Organization (WHO) Palliative care aims to prevent and relieve health related suffering of adults, children and their families facing problems associated with life-threatening illness
10 Facts on palliative care - World Health Organization (WHO) Pushing policy will drive palliative care forward World Health Assembly resolution 67 19 on strengthening palliative care, adopted in 2014, emphasizes the need to create national palliative care policies, to ensure secure access to opioids for pain relief, training for all health care staff in palliative care, and the integration of palliative care services into existing health care systems
Primary care - World Health Organization (WHO) We aim to enable the optimal integration of rehabilitation and primary care along the continuum of care (promotion – prevention – treatment – rehabilitation – palliation) to reduce the burden of chronic disease and disability, improve quality of life and allow more fulsome contribution to community and occupation
Integrating palliative care and symptom relief into primary health care The World Health Assembly has resolved that palliative care is “an ethical responsibility of health systems” and that integration of palliative care into public health care systems is essential for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goal on universal health coverage (WHA 67 19)
Primary health care - World Health Organization (WHO) Primary health care is about health at all ages It involves prevention, health promotion, treatment, rehabilitation and palliation This approach empowers people and communities to choose healthier lifestyles, prevent diseases, and access early detection, treatment and recovery services
Palliative care for children - World Health Organization (WHO) Palliative care for children represents a small and highly specialized field of health care that is different from, albeit closely related to, adult palliative care Ideally, support for children with palliative care needs starts at diagnosis, and for many children with life-limiting conditions this can be at birth
Primary health care - World Health Organization (WHO) Primary health care (PHC) addresses the majority of a person’s health needs throughout their lifetime This includes physical, mental and social well-being and it is people-centred rather than disease-centred PHC is a whole-of-society approach that includes health promotion, disease prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and palliative care