‘Limited access to palliative care’ in developing world
London, Oct 8 : There is little awareness about palliative care for the terminally ill in the developing world, a new report has revealed.
A report issued for World Palliative Care Day emphasises on the restricted access to pain-relieving drugs in these countries.
Especially in the African continent, palliative care is still in its early stage, reports the BBC.
Ghana is the first country in the continent to have taken an initiative to bring the care into their health system.
However, the country has also been seeing a rise in the number of cases where cancer is being diagnosed in the last stage.
In Uganda, palliative care is in a comparatively developed stage, but the cost of keeping a person on morphine for two weeks is equal to the price of a loaf of bread
Campaigners think that the scale of HIV/Aids only speaks for the need for much greater access to palliative care in Africa.
As a measure, around 400 musical events have been organised across the world to raise awareness about the necessity of palliative care for the terminally ill.
The concerts taking place across 85 countries are for highlighting the importance of the care for people of all ages, from children to the elderly.
Ethiopia is joining the initiative for the first time. (ANI)