WHO Palliative Care Working Group Annual Meeting

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WHPCA is pleased to be an official member of the WHO Working Group on Palliative Care. The working group (WG) was formed in 2023 at the order of Dr Tedros, Director General of WHO. Members of the WG are representatives from the key departments at WHO responsible for palliative care including the Integrated Health Services and Non-communicable Disease Departments, the palliative care focal points from each of the six WHO regional offices, the two organizations in official relations with WHO (WHPCA and IAHPC, plus ICPCN in the process of gaining this status), and the multiple WHO collaborating centers. A few other organizations are allowed to participate as observers.

When the WG was established four subgroups were formed.

  1. Essential Palliative Care Medicines – Led by James Cleary from Walther Center and WHPCA
  2. Palliative Care Research – Led by Anna Peeler from Cicely Saunders Center
  3. Palliative Care Compendium – Led by Kristin Wendtlandt from U. Toronto
  4. Anniversary of the WHA Palliative Care Resolution – Led by me.

Our annual meeting this year was hosted by St Jude and was held at their headquarters in Memphis, Tennessee October 28-29, 2024. During our meeting we heard reports from the WHO departments on WHO’s efforts to progress palliative care and we heard from the four working groups on their progress in the past year.  Also reports from NGO’s in official relations and the collaborating centers on their progress this year.

Most of the discussion was on how to include palliative care in Universal Health Coverage packages using the WHO Service, Planning, Delivery, and Implementation (SPDI) Platform.  https://uhcc.who.int/uhcpackages/ This system allows countries to design UHC coverage that includes palliative care. We helped WHO to prioritize which services should best be included in the main areas of 1). PC assessment, planning and referrals, 2). PC for physical needs, 3) PC for psychological needs, and 4) PC for social & spiritual needs.

Reports from the four working groups reported some significant progress including:

  • Essential medicines group working on reestablishing a pain and policy fellowship program and collaboration with WHO, UICC, and UNODC
  • Research group reported on education assessment and soon to be released report on PC at the World Innovation Summit on Health in Doha in November, which will contain numerous recommendations for future PC development.
  • PC Compendium group reported on education, integration, and models of PC development and research into the integration of PC into primary care.
  • The 10th anniversary group noted progress in measuring how palliative care is developing or not developing in the 10 years since the PC resolution at the World Health Assembly. A side event was held during the WHA in May with sponsorship from 4 member states (MS) and a dozen NGO’s, also plans for formation of a MS coalition on to advocate for increase PC development.

The PCWG has two new members also introduced. The World Association of Family Doctors (WONKA) and Project ECHO for delivery of PC training and community building.

Overall, the WHO PCWG is a dynamic coming together of all those working with WHO to advance palliative care worldwide.

Comments

  1. Dr Connor,
    I am presently the Palliative Lead at Cleveland Clinic in Abu Dhabi.I am American board certified and trained and am in my second of a three year Phd program with University of Maryland .I have also completed my Masters in Cannabis from UMB.I am hoping there is some work i can do or help in advocating for palliative care .Being originally from Pakistan , I understand underserved populations in addition to lack of hospice in UAE and universal coverage ..
    Lastly , my dissertation is focused on non disclosure of prognosis and diagnosis .
    What would be the pathway to contribute/volunteer to your organization?
    Thank you for your time in advance .

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