Palliative care as a human right

An international alliance of palliative care organisations has issued a joint declaration, calling for palliative care and pain management to be recognised as human rights.

The International Association for Hospice and Palliative Care  and the Worldwide Palliative Care Alliance have stated that access to palliative care was fundamental to upholding existing human rights, such as freedom from torture, and cruel or degrading treatment.

They called on governments to adopt national palliative care and pain treatment plans, underpinned by comprehensive training policies for nurses and other health professionals.

Among the group’s top priorities are the removal of regulatory and legal barriers that interfere with the rational use of controlled medications, and a greater focus on palliative care in universities.

The alliance is calling on other international and national organisations with an interest in palliative care and pain treatment, to join the global campaign.

Individuals and organisations are able to sign the declaration by clicking:

http://www.hospicecare.com/cgi-script/csformbuilder/forms/