The Worldwide Hospice Palliative Care Alliance (WHPCA) has announced the theme of this year’s World Hospice and Palliative Care Day and Voices for Hospices. The theme is: Universal Health Coverage and Palliative Care: Don’t leave those suffering behind!
World Hospice and Palliative Care Day is the global day of action for hospice and palliative care. It is taking place this year on 14 October 2017 to raise awareness of palliative care as a crucial, defining part of Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
The sub-theme is: CARE, COUNT, COST.
CARE
It isn’t UHC without universal access to palliative care. Palliative care is an essential, defining part of Universal Health Coverage (promotive, preventive, curative, rehabilitative and palliative health services).
UHC means that all people and communities can use the promotive, preventive, curative, rehabilitative and palliative health services they need. We must bring UHC including palliative care to those who need it most.
COUNT
What gets measured gets done. We need to measure palliative care as part of UHC. 40 million people need palliative care annually including 20 million at the end of life. In 42% of the world’s countries there is ZERO availability of palliative care.
COST
No one should face destitution and poverty when they get sick. Paying for costly treatment or travel to treatment and care services as well as loss of income by the person who is ill or their carers can lead to financial risk. Palliative care can reduce the financial burden driven by serious chronic and life-limiting illness.