Journal of pain and symptom management
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In 2014, 1.5 million people died of tuberculosis (TB) worldwide including 400,000 co-infected with HIV. TB remains a major cause of death and suffering globally, in spite of the fact that it is supposed to be a curable disease. Drug resistant forms of TB have developed as a result of poor treatment compliance including multi-drug and extreme drug resistant forms that take longer to treat and have higher likelihoods of treatment failure. ⋯ This article describes the progress made in the last six years and the barriers remaining. A training curriculum was developed, courses conducted at major TB conferences (Union Lung Health), several publications produced, model programs identified, and comprehensive clinical guidelines developed. There remain significant barriers including lack of awareness and a major need for resources to deliver PC education to the TB workforce and the PC community to realize World Health Organization's goal of zero suffering for TB patients.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Feb 2018
Retraction Of PublicationThe Worldwide Hospice Palliative Care Alliance.
The Worldwide Hospice Palliative Care Alliance (WHPCA) is an international non-governmental organization registered as a charity in England and Wales that was established in 2008 following a series of international gatherings that highlighted the important need for palliative care to be included in global policy and health planning. The vision of the WHPCA is a world with universal access to hospice and palliative care. ⋯ These accomplishments include effective advocacy with United Nations bodies, acceptance as a non-governmental organization in official relations with the World Health Organization and the UN Economic and Social Council, publication of many position papers on critical aspects of palliative care, publication of the Global Atlas of Palliative Care at the End of Life, development of toolkits for palliative care development, publication of the international edition of ehospice, and management of World Hospice and Palliative Care Day each year. Some of the many challenges to the growth and development of palliative care globally are described along with future plans.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Feb 2018
Retraction Of PublicationDevelopment of Palliative Care (PC) in Armenia.
In the last seven years, considerable progress has been made in palliative care (PC) in Armenia, but many problems remain unresolved. Policies developed include completion of a national needs assessment, a recognized working group on PC formed, national standards approved, a concept paper on PC approved, resolutions on PC as a specialized service approved, PC became a subspecialty in medicine, PC qualifications developed, and a social assistance package approved. In addition, the Government of Armenia lately approved the National Strategy on Palliative Care for Adults and 2017-2019 Action Plan. ⋯ A "Pain Control and Palliative Care Association" began in 2003, and for two years, four pilot PC programs successfully operated with Global Fund resources. However, now only one service provider is operating. The public has begun to learn about PC, but funding remains a challenge.
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Georgia has established the foundational measures for a national palliative care program-policy, education, drug availability, and implementation. Amendments to legislation needed to develop palliative care have been approved. Palliative care has been recognized as a subspecialty in oncology, critical care, internal medicine, and surgery. ⋯ Opioids for cancer patients in inpatient units or at home are free. Palliative care education has been incorporated into both undergraduate and postgraduate medical and nursing education and a number of physicians have received specialist training abroad. Palliative Care Standards and Guidelines have been developed; and palliative care services, although insufficient to meet the need, are available for patients at home, as inpatients and a children's hospice opened in 2017.
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Sixty percent of cancer patients are diagnosed with advanced stages of disease and those diagnosed in early stages face challenges to receive adequate treatment. Palliative care has had significant developments in recent years in Albania because of a close partnership with the Ministry of Health, local nonprofit organizations, and the Open Society Foundation Albania. In 2011, a five-year action plan for palliative care as one of four parts of the National Cancer Control Plan was approved. ⋯ In the last three years, significant progress has been made in service provision. From only one public palliative care service in 2013, there are now eight palliative care services in eight of the 11 regional hospitals. By the end of 2016, it is expected that palliative care services will be available in all regional hospitals in the country.