The Global Burden of Childhood Suffering Demands a Palliative Response
A new commentary in The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health highlights critical data on the global prevalence of serious health-related suffering (SHS) in children. The authors argue that these estimates reveal a profound and unmet need for pediatric palliative care worldwide. The piece frames this as a moral imperative, suggesting that society’s failure to address this suffering reflects a broader ethical shortcoming in global health systems.
Why it might matter to you: For professionals focused on infectious diseases and global health security, this underscores a critical downstream consequence of disease burden. Children surviving complex infections like HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, or severe viral illnesses often face chronic, debilitating sequelae. This commentary connects the core mission of infection control and treatment to the long-term need for compassionate care systems, aligning with a holistic One Health approach that considers patient wellbeing beyond acute crisis management.
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