Journal of pain and symptom management
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The Hospice Palliative Care Association (HPCA) was established in 1987 by hospices in South Africa who felt the need for a national body to share best practices and to promote palliative care services in South Africa. HPCA supports member hospices in providing palliative care to people of any age with a life-limiting condition. ⋯ A key initiative was the development of a mentorship program to assist organizations to develop accredited palliative care services in South Africa. This article highlights some of the HPCA projects funded over the years by the Open Society Foundations' International Palliative Care Initiative.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Feb 2018
Retraction Of PublicationPain and Policy Studies Group: Two decades of working to address regulatory barriers to improve opioid availability and accessibility around the world.
For two decades, the Pain & Policy Studies Group (PPSG), a global research program at the University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center, has worked passionately to fulfill its mission of improving pain relief by achieving balanced access to opioids worldwide. PPSG's early work highlighted the conceptual framework of balance leading to the development of the seminal guidelines and criteria for evaluating opioid policy. ⋯ The PPSG disseminates its work online in several ways, including an extensive Web site, news alerts, and through several social media outlets. PPSG has become the focal point for expertise on policy governing drug control and medicine and pharmacy practice related to opioid availability and pain relief.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Feb 2018
Retraction Of PublicationEuropean Association for Palliative Care: Forging a vision of excellence in palliative care in Central and Eastern European and former Sovjet Union countries (CEE/FSU).
The European Association for Palliative Care (EAPC) represents many thousands of health care workers and volunteers working in or with an interest in palliative care. In 2016, the EAPC has individual members from 48 nations across the world, and collective members from 57 national palliative care associations in 32 European countries. Throughout its history, the EAPC has produced guidance on a range of palliative care issues. ⋯ In addition, for a period of time, a Russian Web site (www.eapcspeaksrussian.eu) was also available. A survey of palliative care in Central and Eastern European nations sponsored by Open Society Foundation's International Palliative Care Initiative found that in most countries, the national language is preferred rather than using English or Russian for the provision of information. Accordingly, the EAPC Web site provides translations of white papers, position papers, and blog posts in a number of languages.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Feb 2018
Retraction Of PublicationInternational Children's Palliative Care Network: A Global Action Network for Children with Life-Limiting Conditions.
The International Children's Palliative Care Network (ICPCN) is a global network of individuals and organizations working together to reach the estimated 21 million children with life-limiting conditions and life-threatening illnesses. The drive to establish the ICPCN was born from the recognition of the gaps in service provision for children's palliative care and the need to collaborate, network, and share resources. Established in 2005 during a meeting in Seoul, South Korea, the ICPCN has developed over the years into an established network with a global membership. ⋯ Working in collaboration with others, ICPCN has five key focus areas: Communication; Advocacy; Research; Education; and Strategic development, and is the only international charity working globally for the rights of children with palliative care needs. Activities in these areas are discussed, along with the inter-connection between the five areas. Without the ICPCN, palliative care for children would not have developed as far as it has over the years and the organization is committed to ongoing work in this area until all children requiring palliative care have access to quality services, wherever they live around the world.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Feb 2018
Retraction Of PublicationPalliative Care in Rwanda: Aiming for Universal Access.
In 2011, Rwanda's Ministry of Health set a goal of universal access to palliative care by 2020. Toward this audacious egalitarian and humanitarian goal, the Ministry of Health worked with partners to develop palliative care policies and a strategic plan, secure adequate supplies of opioid for the country, initiate palliative care training programs, and begin studying a model for integrating coordinated palliative care into the public health care system at all levels. It also initiated training of a new cadre of home-based care practitioners to provide palliative care in the home. Based on these developments, the goal appears within reach.