The support of governments, with laws favorable to palliative care and national action plans; the volunteer activities; and the training of health professionals, with undergraduate programs and postgraduate program, are key to the development of palliative care in the world.

This was presented by four experts in the series 'Palliative Care in three continents'. This activity was organized by the ATLANTES Program of the Institute for Culture and SocietyThe event was organized by the ATLANTES Program, the School of Medicine of the University of Navarra and the Navarra Society of Palliative Care (Palian), and was held at the high school Official Medical Association of Navarra. partnership The activity was supported by the Obra Social 'La Caixa' and the Fundación Bancaria Caja Navarra.

The series was held at goal to showcase palliative care programs from around the world. In particular, the speakers showed how palliative care has been developed and promoted in Ireland, El Salvador, Canada and Uganda.

Ireland, El Salvador, Canada and Uganda

Michael Connolly, Professor of Nursing at University College Dublin, opened the colloquium with discussion paper "EUROPE: Dublin, Ireland, cradle of PC in Ireland and the world". As he explained, Ireland has one of the most developed palliative care programs in the world. This has been achieved thanks to a National Clinical Program, the fact that palliative care is a medical specialization program and the development of comprehensive care that addresses both physical pain and spiritual issues.

The expert stressed the importance of palliative care accessible to all. "The state finances palliative care services, but many resources are also made available thanks to the generosity of citizens," he said.

Mario López Saca, Professor of Palliative Care at the Universidad Matías Delgado (El Salvador), gave a presentation on discussion paper "LATIN AMERICA: A new project Hospice for El Salvador promoted by an NGO". He presented the case of a care center that will be opened soon in San Salvador to attend patients and their families and for the training of professionals.

For López Saca, the work of volunteers has been very important in the promotion of palliative care in El Salvador. However, he admits that they still have several "challenges", such as getting them to have an entity as a medical specialization program and "generating training programs at the undergraduate level and postgraduate program".

José Pereira, director of research of the high school of Family Physicians of Canada, participated with the lecture "NORTH AMERICA: Ottawa Regional Program, Canada, Palliative Care integrated in a modern Health System". The expert spoke of the importance of the Ottawa Regional Palliative Care Program, which achieved the integration of this discipline into the Canadian health system.

Pereira stated that palliative care is everyone's responsibility: "It is not only a matter of palliative medicine specialists providing a specialized attendance , but also of primary care professionals and other specialties knowing and applying the palliative care approach ".

The latest speaker was John Rhee, a student at postgraduate program of Medicine at School Mount Sinai School of Medicine (New York, USA). In his lecture, entitled "AFRICA: A Medical Student at Hospice Africa Uganda, Kampala, Uganda.", he explained his experience at the Kampala care center, one of the most cutting-edge on the continent.

According to speaker, there are few resources in Uganda and palliative care is not subsidized by the government, so "many people cannot receive palliative care because they cannot afford to pay for treatment," he said. However, thanks to financial aid of the NGOs, many patients can receive free medication and consultations. He also highlighted the work of Hospice Africa Uganda in the training of professionals, patients and families in palliative medicine.