Turkey looks to expand hospital palliative care

The Health Ministry aims to boost palliative care for patients with serious illnesses and their relatives by establishing palliative care units at 227 public hospitals. The units will be integrated into the health system, whereas previously it was a complementary facility, and medical staff at those units will get a pay raise.

Palliative care units provide medical, social and spiritual support for patients suffering from diseases without a cure, such as patients with certain kinds of cancer along with their relatives by improving their quality of life and relieving their pain. A total of 3,258 beds were previously allocated for palliative care units, and there are currently 67 palliative care units, staffed with doctors, nurses, psychiatrists, dietitians, social service workers and physiotherapists.

Though not exactly palliative care, Turkey began deploying imams as spiritual counselors at hospitals for critically ill patients and their families earlier this year.

Palliative care, which gained a niche in modern healthcare in recent years, is regarded as the only realistic option for terminally ill patients whose disease has no cure as it offers relief from the pain through psychological support and the administration of pain relieving drugs.

According to World Health Organization (WHO) figures released last year, the estimated number of people in need of palliative care toward the end of life is 377 adults out of every 100,000 people every year. WHO officials say that access to palliative care still remains inadequate, though an aging global population necessitates better care for elderly patients suffering from terminal illnesses.