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February 28-March 01, 2019 | Paris, France
Palliative Care, Obstetrics and Gynecology Stroke and Clinical Trials
International Conference on
Joint Event on
International Conference on
&
Journal of Research and Reports in Gynecology and Obstetrics | Volume: 3
Reality and challenges of palliative care services in Latin America
Benjamin Cavenago Salazar
ADAMO Home Care Palliative Unit, Peru
Palliative care, worldwide, has a relevance and an undeniable
clinical and medical utility that is statistically confirmed and
validated. In that sense, palliative care also shows its validity
under a cost-efficiency analysis. It has been observed that
most articles about this aspect (cost-efficiency) show a clear,
evident and statistically valid positive impact of palliative care
interventions (e.g. in quality of life and symptom control),
while costs tend to maintain or even decrease in some cases,
compared with the ones associated to traditional health
provision models. These comparative advantages are already
clearly stablished and well known in developed countries,
where generalized, systematic and continuous provision of
palliative care is a reality.
In contrast, Latin America, one of the most unequal regions in
theworld, showsmarked disparities in access to health services,
between and within countries, having unmet basic needs in this
topic. Palliative care is among those unmet health provision
needs that, in some cases, are still far from being offered by the
different health care systems in this part of the world. In this
context, the development of health policies in palliative care
faces many different challenges, not only the financial ones,
always an issue in the region, but also variables of social, cultural
or even geographic nature that have to be considered and raise
an evenmore complex scenario in which palliative care services
have to be planned, implemented, offered and accepted by the
population.
This presentation, based on statistical data from WHO, UN,
ECLAC and certified bibliographic sources, is mainly focused
on the complex reality of health care systems in Latin America
and specifically on palliative care and the challenges, difficulties
and pitfalls of its implementation in this region. Context,
current situation and reasons for the continuously increasing
demand of palliative care in Latin America will be analysed. A
comparative analysis of the different levels of development of
palliative care services between countries will also be done,
considering aspects such as coverage, quality and legislation.
Finally, a cost-efficiency evaluation with favorable conclusions
will lead to some proposals (based on WHO-UN data) for the
development and implementation of sustainable palliative care
services in the area.
This bibliographic and statistical research concludes that
palliative care services are an urgent and still unmet need
in many Latin American countries. Ageing population and
the notorious increase in life expectancy in recent decades,
among others, are important factors that strongly influence
the increasing demand of palliative care services in the region.
Current models of health services in many countries of the area
are inadequate and insufficient to face the increasing demand
of these services in elderly and chronically ill population. States,
throughout the continent must enhance and develop policies
in order to implement viable and sustainable palliative care
programs.
Speaker Biography
Benjamin Cavenago Salazar obtained his Master´s Degree in Palliative Medicine and
Treatment of Pain. He is a Medical Oncology Specialist in the Department of Palliative
Oncology in ADAMO Home Care Palliative Unit, Peru.
e:
Benjamin Cavenago Salazar, Res Rep Gynaecol Obstet, Volume 3
DOI: 10.4066/2591-7366-C1-002