Around 73.5 million people worldwide need palliative care each year, but only 14 per cent of them receive this specialised care. In low and middle-income countries the share is lower still, just 4 per cent.
The figures were presented on Thursday (12 November) at a scientific seminar held by the palliative medicine department of Bangladesh Medical University (BMU) on the third edition of the "Global Atlas of Palliative Care", published jointly by the Worldwide Hospice Palliative Care Alliance (WHPCA) and the World Health Organization (WHO).
The seminar heard that about 80 per cent of the world's people have little or no access to essential controlled medicines, especially pain relief. There has been progress, though: between 2017 and 2025 the number of specialised palliative care services grew from 25,000 to about 33,720.
Experts urged bringing palliative medicine into primary health care and expanding community-based services. Palliative care is not only treatment of the patient, they said; easing physical and mental suffering and supporting the family are part of it, so primary care, communities and families all matter. Psychological and social support for families after bereavement was also discussed.
The keynote was presented by palliative medicine specialist Dr Syeda Sharmin Kader. The department head, Professor A K M Motiur Rahman Bhuiyan, chaired the session, with associate professors Afroz Alam and Mostafa Kamal Chowdhury present, and medical officer Dr Kazi Maksuda Awar moderated. The report is from Protidiner Sangbad.
Source: Protidiner Sangbad
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