Description: |
Two-thirds of those in need of palliative care live in developing countries that have less than ten percent of the world's resources in terms of health care personnel, drugs and equipment. I have to admit I would have thought that the needs were even greater and the resources less. As Jan Stjernsward says in his introduction, this book offers a banquet of papers that describe pioneering work on the front lines of pain and palliative care service planning and implementation in developing countries. There are papers describing the development of programs in India, Chile, Argentina, Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Uganda, Papua New Guinea, and Kenya. There are also chapters on ethics, spiritual care, education and research in the context of developing countries. The book is enhanced by having a thoughtful two-page editorial commentary after each of the papers. The importance of the IAHPC program of Travelling Fellowships is acknowledged in an editorial commentary following David Allbrook's report from Kenya and Nell Muirden's report from Papua New Guinea, although two of the other authors in this book were IAHPC Travelling Fellows and a third was a Travelling Scholar. The enormity of the problems described in this book are daunting, but it is interesting to read because it is written by highly motivated people who are out there trying to do something about it. Book Review by: Roger Woodruff Director of Palliative Care, Austin Health, Melbourne, Australia |