FROM WORLDWIDE PALLIATIVE CARE ALLIANCE, 34-44 BRITANNIA
ST, LONDON WC1X 9JG, UK
________________________________________________________
10 October 2009
Universal access targets for HIV care doomed to fail says
African Palliative Care Association
World Hospice and Palliative Care Day marks renewed call for urgent
action
No African countries will achieve universal access to HIV prevention, treatment,
care and support by the 2010 deadline set by the United Nations in 2005,
according to the African Palliative Care Association (APCA).
Care and support for people affected by HIV and AIDS, including patients and
their families, consists to a large degree of palliative care. Palliative care is given
to ease pain, distressing symptoms and treatment side-effects and to support
people through treatment programmes, emotional distress and bereavement. It
dramatically reduces suffering in patients and families affected by life-limiting
and terminal illnesses.
A United Nations General Assembly resolution adopted on 23 December 2005
requested UNAIDS and its co-sponsors to assist in “coming as close as possible
to the goal of universal access” by 2010. Yet of the 19 African countries known
by APCA to have in place a national strategy to promote comprehensive HIV care
and support, only five are known to have included palliative care in their
strategy. Not one African country will have universal access to HIV palliative care
by 2010, according to APCA’s assessment.
Lack of understanding of what palliative care is may be one cause of
discrepancies in reporting. According to APCA, only six out of 45 African
countries currently have palliative care available in all districts of need, yet in the
UNAIDS National Composite Policy Index of 2008, 19 countries stated that
palliative care was available in all districts of need.
To mark World Hospice and Palliative Care Day 2009, which takes place on 10
October (www.worldday.org), APCA is making a renewed plea for African nations
to include palliative care in national HIV policies and strategies and ensure
implementation.
Dr Faith Mwangi-Powell, director of APCA, said: “Universal access to treatment
and care must by definition include universal access to palliative care as well as
antiretroviral therapy and preventative measures. Palliative care not only
dramatically improves quality of life, but can also help people to stick to difficult
and unpleasant treatment regimes, thereby prolonging life. The need for pain
relief – physical and psychological – throughout Africa is huge. APCA is working
hard to ensure that palliative care becomes available for everyone on the
continent who needs it, be they affected by AIDS, cancer or whatever illness.
The potential of palliative care to change lives and reduce unnecessary suffering
among patients and their carers is vast, and must be realised.”
APCA’s view is supported by the Worldwide Palliative Care Alliance (WPCA),
which organises and promotes World Hospice and Palliative Care Day. David
Praill, co-chair of WPCA, commented: “Many countries report that they are
promoting comprehensive care and support for people living with HIV, yet
palliative care is not even included in their national policy, which makes a
nonsense of their reporting. Data collection and indicators measuring progress
around the availability of palliative care at the national and global levels urgently
need to be improved to ensure an accurate picture of the situation.
“It is not only Africa where universal access targets to comprehensive care
including palliative care will not be met, but all around the world. In order to
meet these targets, governments need to work with civil society to promote
understanding and development of palliative care through policy development,
education and training and service delivery. Particular emphasis should be placed
on addressing access to essential pain relieving drugs which are banned or
unavailable in many countries.”
- Ends -
For more information:
www.apca.co.ug
www.thewpca.org
APCA: Stephanie Debere, +256 414 266251 Stephanie.debere@apca.co.ug
WPCA: Jo Pratt, +44 (0)20 8699 6566 / j.pratt@helpthehospices.org.uk
Notes to editors:
• Palliative care improves the quality of life of patients and their families. It
aims to provide the best possible care for people living with and dying from a
life-limiting or terminal illness and helps prevent and relieve suffering through
expert pain and symptom relief, practical help and emotional and spiritual
support.
• Half of the world’s 234 countries have no palliative care services available to
their populations and one-third have yet to take the first steps in planning to
build service capacity.
• In those countries where hospice and palliative care services are present,
provision is mostly localised, with only 15% of countries having achieved a
measure of integration with mainstream healthcare service providers.
• It is estimated that 100 million people could benefit from basic palliative care
every year. This number is made up of 33 million people dying (60% of the
total number dying in the world each year) and their 66 million family
members, companions or carers (based on a conservative estimate of two
people giving care and support for every person that dies). The actual
number of people who receive palliative care is far lower. Although Sub-
Saharan Africa has twice as many deaths per 1,000 head of population
annually as North America, it has only 1.5% of global palliative care resources
compared to 55% in North America.
• Thousands of people in around 80 countries will be singing, dancing, reciting
poetry, speaking, listening, watching and learning at more than 1,000
fundraising and awareness-raising events marking World Hospice and
Palliative Care Day 2009 on Saturday 10 October. This year’s theme is
‘Discovering your voice’, highlighting the voices of those affected by lifelimiting
and terminal illnesses throughout the world.
• World Hospice and Palliative Care Day has been developed by the Worldwide
Palliative Care Alliance (a network of national hospice and palliative care
organisations). Details of members of the World Day organising group can be
found at www.worldday.org/partners
• The secretariat for World Hospice and Palliative Care Day is provided by Help
the Hospices, the leading charity supporting hospice care throughout the UK.
