On Monday 19 and 20 September, world leaders met at the UN in New York to address the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases. They adopted a historic declaration which included commitments to palliative care.
We now need to hold them to account. On World Hospice and Palliative Care Day, let your governments know that you are watching and that you are there to support them in the scale up of palliative care services for people with NCDS and their carers. Some suggestions for actions on World Hospice and Palliative Care Day are:
- Contact your Ministry of Health to congratulate them on the declaration and offer your support in improving access to palliative care.
- Contact the media to get coverage on the situation of pallative care in your country relating to palliative care and NCDs and what needs to be done
- Contact non-governmental organisations in your country working on the four major NCDs, health, older people, children's health, mental health and patient and carer action groups to discuss how you can work collaboratively to hold your government to account on this issue and to support access to health care for people with NCDs and their carers.
- If you have a Ministry for international development and aid, contact them to offer your support and advice on the development of palliative care worldwide. The Worldwide Palliative Care Alliance can provide information and details of country programmes.
- Undertake public awareness raising activities on how palliative care supports people with NCDs and other life-limiting illness
For further support, advice or supporting information for any of the above activities, please contact cmorris@thewpca.org or call +44(0)2075208250.
The commitments relating to palliative care are as follows:
- 34b: Pursue, as appropriate, comprehensive strengthening of health systems that support primary health care, deliver effective, sustainable and coordinated responses and evidence-based, cost-effective, equitable and integrated essential services for addressing NCD risk factors and for prevention, treatment and care of NCDs, acknowledging the importance of promoting patient empowerment, rehabilitation and palliative care for persons with NCDs, and of a life course approach given the often chronic nature of NCDs;
- 34c: According to national priorities, and taking into account domestic circumstances, increase and prioritize budgetary allocations for addressing NCD risk factors and for surveillance, prevention, early detection, and treatment of NCDs, and the related care and support including palliative care;
- 34l: According to national priorities, give greater priority to surveillance, early detection, screening, diagnosis and treatment of non-communicable diseases and prevention and control and improving the accessibility to the safe, affordable, effective and quality medicines and technologies to diagnose and to treat them; provide sustainable access to medicines and technologies including through the development and use of evidence-based guidelines for the treatment of non-communicable diseases, efficient procurement and distribution of medicines in countries, strengthen viable financing options and promote the use of affordable medicines, including generics, as well as improved access to preventive, curative, palliative and rehabilitative services particularly at the community level;
- 51: Foster partnerships between government and civil society, building on the contribution of health-related NGOs and patients organizations, to support, as appropriate, the provision of services for the prevention and control, treatment, care, including palliative care, of NCDs;
