Palliative care
WHO
Palliative care is an approach that improves the quality of life of patients – young and old – and their families who are facing the challenges associated with life-threatening illness. This is achieved through the prevention and relief of physical and mental suffering, by means of early identification, assessment and treatment of pain and other physical, psychosocial and spiritual distress.
Governments who commit to “Leave no one behind” and are trying to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 3 must develop palliative care policies to cover the 4.4 million people who require such support in the WHO European Region. Only 35% of people needing palliative care at the end of life currently receive it.
