Palliative care has key role in alleviating pain

The head of Kuwait Cancer Control Cancer Dr. Ahmad Al-Awadhy here on Sunday underlined the importance of palliative care in alleviating pain of people who suffer from cancer and other chronic diseases.
Al-Awadhy made this remark when inaugurating the second workshop on palliative care that aims at training specialists on this field.
The four-day workshop is conducted in collaboration with Kuwait's Ministry of Health, World Health Organization, the Gulf Federation for Cancer Control (GFFCC) and other specialized institutions in this regard.
"The concept of palliative care aims at reducing pain by taking suitable medicine and undergoing to other substances," he said, noting that Kuwait's Palliative Care Center is a source of pride as it is the largest one in the world and has 90 beds.
Al-Awadhy commended efforts by physicians, nurses, technicians and all employees who contribute to providing better services to patients.
In a press statement on the sidelines of the workshop, Dr. Khaled Al-Saleh, the GFFCC Secretary General and Vice-President of Cancer Awareness Nation (CAN) Campaign, said that at least 20 percent of people who suffer from cancer diseases need palliative care.
"At least 400 cases out of 2,000 cases, who suffer from cancer disease, need annually the palliative care during receiving treatment," he noted.
Palliative care successfully lessens sufferings of patients, so medical centers need more beds and specialists to receive and treat the growing cases, he added.
The workshop includes some 18 trainers of WHO and palliative care is a complementary of traditional medicine, he pointed out.
Meanwhile, Dr Ibtihal Fadhel, the WHO's Middle East office advisor for non-contagious chronic diseases, expected the total number of cancer patients would double by 2030, calling for developing control and treatment and focusing on palliative care.
She underscored the importance of providing integrated medical teams, including physicians, nurses, physiotherapists and spsychologists and spiritual treatment at palliative care centers.