National Palliative Care Strategy in a Conflict Affected Country: A Jordanian Demonstration Project

Area of Science:

• Palliative Care
• Health Policy
• Middle Eastern Healthcare Systems

Background:

• Palliative care (PC) integration is globally recognized as vital by the WHO.
• Jordan faces resource limitations and challenges in providing comprehensive palliative and home care.
• A national strategic framework is crucial for universal access to high-quality PC, yet development processes in the Middle East are underreported.

Purpose of the Study:

• To outline the development process of Jordan's National Palliative and Home Care Strategic Framework.
• To assess the framework's five-year impact.
• To identify barriers to PC progress and provide stakeholder recommendations.

Main Methods:

• Rapid review of reports, minutes, meetings, and publications.
• Sequential framework development including situational analysis and expert consultation.
• Multistage consensus procedures and high-level advocacy meetings.

Main Results:

• The framework covers policy, finance, service delivery, opioid access, capacity building, and M&E.
• Government endorsement in April 2018 spurred national engagement and progress in policy, services, and research.
• Persistent barriers include workforce shortages, limited opioid access, and inadequate funding.

Conclusions:

• Jordan's collaborative development of its first National Palliative and Home Care Strategic Framework offers a roadmap for PC advancement.
• The framework promises improved services, but successful implementation hinges on addressing workforce and opioid access issues.
• This initiative provides valuable insights into establishing national PC frameworks in resource-limited settings.