Every year we mark, celebrate, and take the opportunity to advocate for People Living with Palliative Care Needs (PLWPCNs) on every second Saturday of October. This year, World Hospice and Palliative Care Day (WHPCD) will be on Saturday 12 October 2024.
The year 2024 marks 10 years since the World Health Assembly (WHO’s Governing Body) passed the only stand-alone resolution on palliative care, calling for all countries to “strengthen palliative care as a component of comprehensive care throughout the life course.” This is what inspired the theme for 2024.
The theme is, “Ten Years Since the Resolution: How are we doing?”
We will also be celebrating the 20th anniversary of WHPCD. Many milestones have been achieved over the years internationally, regionally, and locally. Palliative care associations, facilities, and institutions have been established over the years. Efforts have been made in different spheres of influence to advocate for the full integration of palliative care services in healthcare systems across the globe. From 2011 to 2017 the number of palliative care services increased from 16,000 to 25,000, caring for 7 million patients but still only about 12% of the need was met.
The mission is far from being accomplished and we have a long way to go to close the “Access Abyss” even as the palliative care advocacy fraternity is doing their part. Every effort big or small has impacted lives and made life easier for PLWPCNs and those affected as care givers, family members, and friends. Every act of kindness that brings a smile or comfort shows that someone’s life matters.
This year, let’s make our voices heard as we hold stakeholders across the health sector accountable asking them to implement the resolution and prioritise palliative care in Universal Health Coverage (UHC). More than 60 million people both adults and children need palliative care services every year with over 80% living in low-middle-income (LMIC’s) countries. WHPCA has estimated that over half of the need for palliative care is being met in high income countries while only 4% of the bigger need is met in LMICs, a continuing and shocking disparity.
There is no need for people to go through unnecessary suffering because of policies that can be changed to address unmet healthcare needs. An unequal supply of pain relief medicine and the unavailability of proper health facilities can derail the efforts to integrate palliative care into healthcare systems.
Thank you once again to each one of you for the campaigns and events held all over the world last year. You made World Day 2023 a success! On 14 October 2023, compassionate communities also showed their solidarity when they came out in numbers.
We had 233 events registered on the global map for palliative care from 76 countries, a record. Let’s make this year bigger and better as we celebrate 20 years of World Hospice and Palliative Care Day! More details will be shared soon and WHPCA is working with WHO on a report on “how we are doing” after these 10 years since the WHA resolution was passed. The resources, logos, and toolkit will be made available as soon as possible.
Count me in
Excited to join the observance again. Congrats on 10 years #WHPCDay2024
Looking forward to take part in the 20th anniversary of WHPCD on 14th October 2024 under the theme : “Ten years since the Resolution: How are we doing?”.
It’s a challenging theme for everyone to move forward towards more better Palliative Care services.
I would like to take part in this anniversary, I’m a nurse from Kenya
I am proud to be a palliative nurse and working with you good people and the organisation
Highly interested to be part of the event
Hey,am a social worker based in Nairobi Kenya working currently with pwds under girl child network am interested in working with you and be part of the great event
Thanks for your great support towards palliative care. In Embu Kenya we are doing very well in ensuring patients attain quality of life. We are also doing much in creating awareness, sensitization and education of health professionals and non health professionals on palliative care.
We look forward to working together and more support
Regards
Stellah
I am highly interested in being part of the event.
Will really appreciate if you consider me and my Community
Dr Mami Parija ,Amrit Dhara Palliative Care (ADPC) Bhubaneswar India.
I am very much interested to be a part of this event.
As a Palliative Care volunteer(Cancer) , I understand the importance of pain management in handling patients with terminal illness. It is truly sad that only 12% critically ill patients are receiving Palliative care. Awareness needs to be spread regarding the importance of palliative care and we need to take the responsibility to spread it. I feel privileged to be connected with IAPC and pledge to render my service with sincerity.
Am Farhiya Ibrahim palliative care nurse from Nanyuki Kenya very much interested to be part of this coming even . looking forward for your kind consideration.thank you
I would like tp be a part of this event.
Please, we need the image in portuguese! Thank you!!!
As a documentary filmmaker, I’m honored to be part of this incredible event in Egypt with @hospiceegypt.
Good day interested to register an event in Zimbabwe as part of Bubi Hospice initiative.
Best Regards
Gift Mutsonziwa
Hello, I am from Bangladesh. We are going to celebrate the Day by recognizing the roles of our Youth Volunteers and Community Health Workers (CHWs) – the front-line heroes of the program ‘ Compassionate Narayanganj’. Palliative Care is a new vocabulary in our health care system. Hopefully, from 2025 it will be incorporated in the primary health service delivery under the 5th health sectoral plan. We are learning from you all!
I am from Assam , India would like to be a part of this noble organisation .
I look forward to this year’s Palliative Care Day celebration in Ghana and the entire world
This is a very important day when all health care workers should advocate for increased awareness of palliative care. Palliative care interface with all disciplines of medicine, from perinatal, neonatal,. childhood,teenage, youth, adult and old age periods. We should remind all that the outmost purpose of palliative care is to relieve suffering and improve quality of life
I am from West Bengal, India. I would like to join the mission. India needs vigorous campaign for the awareness of access to Palliative Care, every individual in need must have the privilege to receive the efficacy of Palliative Care. Very poor percentage of access to Palliative Care is truly shocking.
Very proud to be associated with an organization named Rajeswari Foundation which is spreading awareness and helping very needy persons in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India. Every year it organizes ‘RUNS’ and other events on WHPC Day. This year too Awareness Run is organized from Palayam to Kanakakunnu Palace. Great service done by this community.