Palliative Care is a specialized medical service that includes holistic model of care. It brings together compassion and science to relieve suffering and preserve dignity for people living with serious, chronic or incurable life-limiting illnesses.
Suffering is not confined to physical pain alone. Palliative care addresses the full spectrum of human distress—physical, emotional, social, economic, and spiritual—ensuring care for the whole person, not just the disease.

A core principle of palliative care is to stand beside patients and their families until the final moments of life. This includes ensuring the presence of community support and healthcare services, as well as continuing care and guidance for families during bereavement.

According to the The Lancet Commission (2017), nearly half of all people who die each year experience “serious health-related suffering” that could be alleviated through palliative care. Approximately 80% of these individuals live in low- and middle-income countries. Although an estimated 56.8 million people require palliative care annually, only about 14% are able to access it.

In the context of Bangladesh, an estimated 600,000 people require palliative care at some point in their lives each year. The situation among children and adolescents is particularly concerning—around 222,000 children and adolescents need palliative care annually.
Therefore, palliative care is not merely a medical service; it is a humane and social commitment—
“Improving quality of life through care, compassion, and dignity.”