The Singapore Statement was issued at the 12th Asia Pacific Hospice Conference held in Singapore from 26th – 29th July.
Singapore Statement
We participants of the 12th International Conference of the Asia Pacific Hospice Palliative Care Network on 28 July 2017 in Singapore,
- finding that there is a huge burden of unrelieved suffering associated with life limiting illnesses in the region,
- viewing with concern that less than 10% of those in need have access to pain relief and palliative care globally, and
- aware of the World Health Assembly resolution of 2014[1] which calls on all member countries’ health systems to integrate evidence-based, cost effective and equitable palliative care services in the continuum of care, community and home based care and universal coverage schemes,
request member states in the region to ensure:
- adequate funding and effective implementation of national palliative care strategies to implement palliative care in the region,
- the inclusion of palliative care in non-communicable diseases control programs and in HIV and TB control programs,
- inclusion of palliative care education in basic education for all health professionals, and
- improving access to palliative care for children and young people.
[1] Reference: World Health Organisation. World Health Assembly WHA 67.19 Agenda Item 15.5. Strengthening of palliative care as a component of comprehensive care throughout the life course. Available at http://apps.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/WHA67/A67_R19-en.pdf