Research and Reports in Gynecology and Obstetrics

Reality and challenges of palliative care services in Latin America

Joint Event on International Conference on Palliative Care, Obstetrics and Gynecology & International Conference on Stroke and Clinical Trials
February 28-March 01, 2019 | Paris, France

Benjamin Cavenago Salazar

ADAMO Home Care Palliative Unit, Peru

Scientific Tracks Abstracts : Res Rep Gynaecol Obstet

DOI: 10.4066/2591-7366-C1-002

Abstract:

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 the world, shows marked 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 even more 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.

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-mail: benjamincavenago@hotmail.com

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