Dear Colleagues – We watch with distress the ongoing suffering in Ukraine and, as a global palliative care community, we were woefully – but perhaps not surprisingly – unprepared to respond to this.
From before the invasion our colleagues within Ukraine had been preparing; and they have been caring for their patients even when under attack. A number of our Ukrainian colleagues keep us informed of the impact on themselves, their patients and the beautiful programmes they have worked so hard and with such commitment to develop. They also keep us abreast of their needs.
Sadly, amongst those called up to fight have been leading paediatric palliative care physicians and programme managers.
The palliative care community is creative and responsive and a number of supportive initiatives are under way. There is an increase in collaboration as we explore our role in the present and what it might be in the future.
With deep gratitude we are learning from those working in palliative care in Ukraine; for their heroic example, advice and guidance.
We see hospices in border countries and across Europe – such as in Poland, Romania, Moldova and Germany , and even further afield – helping and taking in patients of all ages.
There is ongoing support from nearby palliative care leaders in countries such as Latvia and Georgia – and also from within Russia.
The Lancet Commentary on “The Value of Alleviating Suffering and Dignifying Death in War and Humanitarian Crises” by Willam E Rosa et al – Lancet Commentary; and the “PallCHASE Statement on Palliative Care in Humanitarian Crises” are receiving widespread attention.
The PallCHASE training on palliative care for humanitarian response agencies continues and, thanks to the IAHPC, we had a voice at the recent UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs side-event on Access to Controlled Medicines in Humanitarian Crises.
And just today an Appeal for funds to assist palliative care for adults and children in Ukraine was launched by the WHPCA together with the ICPCN and PallCHASE. https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/help-support-palliative-care-patients-in-ukraine/
There is a real desire and willngness to come together with our Ukrainian colleagues to develop guidance for this , and for future crises.
Psychosocial groups from the US and Singapore are communicating with psychology colleagues in Kyiv who reached out for support in helping the bereaved.
GWISH (George Washington Institute for Spirituality in Health Care) colleagues will lead on spiritual care and we hope be able to link in an inspirational Military Chaplain from Ukraine.
Indviduals from around the world are reaching out to find ways to help and opportunities are increasing.
On 20 April PallCHASE will present a webinar to discuss palliative care.
On 17 May the EAPC will be presenting a pre-conference Workshop where we can learn from existing palliative care initiatives in more settled humanitarian situations as well as Ukrainian colleagues working in the present crisis, and together discuss the future.
During the Maruzza Congress in Rome, from 25-28 May, we will be meeting to write guidance specifically for children and young people, and in June the Elisabeth Kübler-Ross Foundation US/Global will present an educational session on loss and grief in humanitarian crises.
There is so much we can learn from the organisation of the humanitarian health response and the way groups from withn Ukraine and other countries have combined to take children needing cancer care out of Ukraine to other centres.
This is a tragic opportunity for palliative care groups to work together – to take lessons from past experiences; to explore present challenges; and to plan for future acute humanitarian crises.
Joan Marston
PallCHASE Executive member for Advocacy
EAPC Taskforce on Refugees and Migrants
For further information about the various organisations mentioned go to:
Pallchase: https://www.ed.ac.uk/global-health/programmes-and-activities/pallchase
GWish: https://smhs.gwu.edu/spirituality-health/
The WHPCA: https://thewhpca.org
ICPCN: https://www.icpcn.org
The EAPC: https://www.eapcnet.eu
The Maruzza Congress: https://www.childrenpalliativecarecongress.org/congress-2022/
The Elizabeth Kübler-Ross Foundation: https://www.ekrfoundation.org
The Lancet Commission on the Value of Death: https://www.thelancet.com/commissions/value-of-death
The UN Commission on Access to Narcotic Drugs: http://cndblog.org/maps/access-to-essential-medicines/
Editors Note: We are aware of a number of appeals currently running in support of palliative care patients, providers and those assisting them, and we aim to cover more of these in the future as well. If you wish to share information on this subject please write to info@ehospice.com. Thank you.
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