In December 2021 the World Health Assembly established an intergovernmental negotiating body (INB) to draft and negotiate an international instrument to strengthen pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response.

The IAHPC has participated in INB consultations and have consistently urged governments to include palliative care language in the response treaty. Although the words “palliative care” did appear in an early draft, they are no longer included in the Zero Draft that member states began negotiating on February 2023.

The IAHPC and several global, regional and national palliative care organizations have performed an analysis of the Zero Draft and have made suggestions as to where palliative care language should be included, following UN agreed language.

We feel strongly that any WHO pandemic preparedness and response treaty must explicitly include palliative care. Failure to include it will result in palliative care services being sidelined and unfunded in policy preparations and implementation of pandemic responses.

You can support and help in this process by following these steps:

1. Read the WHO Zero Draft of the treaty.
2. See Advocacy Note: Review the suggested changes to the treaty.
3. If you agree with the suggestions and would like your organization to be added to the list of organizations endorsing these changes, use the button below.
4. Contact the corresponding authorities in your country and let them know that your organization would like to see palliative care included in the language. Use this template of a letter if you wish.

If you need assistance or have any questions, contact Dr. Katherine Pettus, the IAHPC Senior Advocacy and Partnerships Director.

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More information

IAHPC Video INB4 on Pandemic Treaty