E-DRUG: Access to pain relief - an essential human right
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"Access to pain relief - an essential human right" - a report recently
published by Help the Hospices for the Worldwide Palliative Care
Alliance to coincide with World Hospice and Palliative Care Day October
6th 2007.
Downloadable at:
http://www.worldday.org/documents/access_to_pain_relief.pdf
The report highlights the lack of pain control currently available
around the world. 80% of cancer patients have no access to the pain
relieving drugs that they require. More than 50% of patients with
advanced AIDS, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and
renal disease experience pain but most lack access to appropriate pain
relief.
Urgent government action is needed to ensure that all sections of
society have equal and adequate access to pain control. It is estimated
that 100 million people could benefit from basic palliative care every year. New data in this report shows that even in established palliative care units, patients lack access to pain control that they desperately need.
World Hospice and Palliative Care Day is coordinated by the Worldwide
Palliative Care Alliance of national hospice and palliative care
associations. The secretariat for World Hospice and Palliative Care Day
and the Alliance is provided by Help the Hospices, the UK charity for
the hospice movement, which supports UK hospices in their vital work on
the front line of caring for people who face the end of life.
To find out more and get involved in World Hospice and Palliative Care
Day 2007, visit www.worldday.org or email
worldday@helpthehospices.org.uk
For information on Help the Hospices visit www.helpthehospices.org.uk or
for the Worldwide Palliative Care Alliance visit www.wwpca.net
regards,
Carolyn Green
Senior Technical Advisor, Care & Support
Care & Impact Mitigation Team
International HIV/AIDS Alliance
104-106 Queens Road
Brighton BN1 3XF
United Kingdom
direct phone: +44 1273 718747
main phone: +44 1273 718900
cellphone: +44 773311 2368
cgreen@aidsalliance.org