Armenia: Needless Pain at End of Life
(Yerevan, July 14, 2015) – Thousands of patients with advanced cancer in Armenia suffer from avoidable, severe pain every year because they cannot get adequate pain medications, Human Rights Watch said in a report and video released today. While effective, safe, and inexpensive pain medications are available in Armenia most patients and their families face insurmountable bureaucratic barriers accessing them in violation of the right to health.
The 98-page report, “‘All I can Do is Cry’: Cancer and the Struggle for Palliative Care in Armenia,” documents the overall lack of palliative care services in Armenia, the government’s overly restrictive regulations on accessing strong pain medication, ingrained practices among healthcare professionals that impede adequate pain relief, and the lack of training and education of healthcare professionals in palliative care.
The 98-page report, “‘All I can Do is Cry’: Cancer and the Struggle for Palliative Care in Armenia,” documents the overall lack of palliative care services in Armenia, the government’s overly restrictive regulations on accessing strong pain medication, ingrained practices among healthcare professionals that impede adequate pain relief, and the lack of training and education of healthcare professionals in palliative care.