Forty million people and their families living in a low or middle-income country are not able to access palliative care each year, causing unnecessary suffering for the most seriously ill. The Worldwide Hospice Palliative Care Alliance has members in over 100 countries. We need your support to help our members close this 'access abyss'. We are building a movement to ensure that palliative care is included in universal health coverage in all countries.

Challenge

Lack of access to palliative care and pain relief is a global public health crisis. Every year over 60 million people experience serious health related suffering, They, their families and carers need palliative care, yet only about 7 million are able to access the care they need. The majority of these are adults over 60 but 7% are children. 78% of the need for palliative care is in low-and middle-income countries, while 80% of current services are delivered in high income countries.

Long-Term Impact

The need for palliative care is projected to grow 87% between now and 2060. Ensuring that palliative care is included in all Universal Health Care benefits as a package of care will do more to reach unmet need for literally MILLIONS of people and will reduce suffering on a global scale. Home based palliative care is known to reduce unnecessary hospitalization and non-beneficial care lowering overall health care costs, but reducing suffering and improving quality of life are the main impacts.

References

1. https://www.thewhpca.org
2. http://www.thewhpca.org

Additional Documentation

https://www.globalgiving.org//pfil/57936/projdoc.pdf

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