13 October 2025 – Palliative care helps people manage pain, cope with emotional stress and make the most of life when facing serious health challenges. It also supports families, offering guidance, reassurance and a sense of agency during difficult times.
In the Eastern Mediterranean Region, where millions of people live with serious illnesses, the figures are alarming. It is estimated that just 1% of the 2.4 million people who need palliative care in the Region receive it. Meanwhile, approximately 500 000 children in the Region are among those suffering and in need of palliative care, primarily due to injuries and congenital conditions.
Where available, palliative care is mainly offered to cancer patients, while it is applicable for any health-related suffering. Another common misconception about palliative care is that it is solely about caring for people at the end of life. While end-of-life care is indeed a vital component, palliative care is a much broader and more inclusive approach. It is a philosophy of care that addresses the whole person—managing physical symptoms, psychological distress, social challenges, and emotional needs.
This holistic support can positively influence the course of illness, leading to better treatment adherence, improved clinical outcomes, and enhanced quality of life. Importantly, quality of life is not a luxury—freedom from pain and suffering is a fundamental human right. Unrelieved pain and distress can be tantamount to torture.
Empowering health professionals to deliver basic palliative care strengthens their ability to manage complex clinical situations, fosters collaboration, and enhances team dynamics. This not only benefits patients but also contributes to a healthier and more supportive work environment.
Palliative care is not inherently expensive. What it requires is thoughtful planning, time investment, and skill development. As palliative care becomes more integrated and optimized, significant savings in medical costs can be achieved. Crucially, without access to basic oral pain medications, palliative care cannot be effectively delivered.
Urgent action is needed.
The World Health Organization (WHO) is urging governments and health leaders to take urgent action. Key recommendations include:
integrating palliative care into national health plans and universal health coverage;
training health workers, from specialists to community caregivers;
making essential medicines available, especially for pain relief;
expanding community-based services so care is closer to home; and
investment in research and data, to understand needs and track progress.
These steps can help reduce suffering, improve quality of life and ensure that no one is left behind.
A technical paper – *From challenges to solutions: palliative care in the Eastern Mediterranean Region – is among the documents submitted for discussion during the Seventy-second session of the Eastern Mediterranean Regional Committee.
It reiterates WHO’s commitment to support Eastern Mediterranean countries as they build effective palliative care systems that cater to the needs of their populations and help ensure no one endures unnecessary pain and suffering.
