Palliative care in low-resource settings

Approaches to palliative and end of life care vary across different countries. Often services are less developed in low-resource settings. In this video, we hear from clinicians about different approaches in three different healthcare settings.

The latest study on the global burden of disease in The Lancet with data from 2019 shows that 62% of COPD and lung cancer are in low- and middle-income countries. The causes of COPD and lung cancer in terms of tobacco dependence and air pollution – particularly from indoor biomass – are less controlled in low and middle-income countries. They tend to be better controlled in high-income countries that have better tobacco control policies and tobacco dependence is declining.

Given that the biggest burden of respiratory disease is in low and middle-income countries, it is appropriate to investigate how best to deliver palliative care in these settings.

This discussion was conceived and facilitated by Siân Williams, CEO, International Primary Care Respiratory Group (IPCRG) and part of the teaching team. The discussion involved:

• Dr Anna Spathis, Palliative Care Consultant, Cambridge, UK

• Dr GM Monsur Habib, Respiratory Physician, Dhaka, Bangladesh

• Su May Liew, Primary Care Doctor and Professor in Primary Care Medicine, Kuala Lumpar, Malaysia