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Context: The review of palliative care (PC) policies was introduced as one of the four main components of the WHO PC strategy. Considering that eastern Meditranian region countries (EMRCs) has made efforts to establish and develop PC in recent years, coordinated data collection provides a clearer picture of needs, challenges, and barriers at the regional level. Objective: The aim of this study was to analyze PC policies related to cancer in the EMRCs. Methods: A scoping review was conducted and reported following the PRISMA extension guidelines for scoping reviews (PRISMA-ScR). Scopus, Medline, Embase, ScienceDirect, PubMed, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and ProQuest were searched to identify relevant articles published in English and no limit time considered PC related policies in EMRCs. A Walt and Gilson model (context, content, process and actors) was used as a framework for analyzing and summarizing findings Results: Out of the 43 papers included in this study, 38 (8837%) were journal articles. The studies covered countries such as Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Cyprus, Oman, United Arab Emirates, Palestine, and Iran. The extracted policies were classified into leadership and commitment of policy makers, affordable access (in context), providing integrated patient-family oriented services, improving the quality of care, creating the possibility of information-sharing (in content), Focus/invest in specialized training, capacity building in society (in process), and involve all stakeholders (in actors). Conclusions: The results of the present study provide a clear picture of how policies are made in the field of PC design and development in EMRCs. Before establishing such a system, it is essential to consider a wide range of economic, social, cultural, and political factors, mainly included in the four axes of Walt and Gilson's policy triangle. The results of this research can be used in policy making, design and formulation, as well as in decisions related to PC system programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: Palliative care in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) faces challenges despite the high number of patients in need. To provide accessible, affordable, and timely services, it is crucial to adopt a suitable care model. World health organization (WHO) recommends integrating palliative care with primary health care (PHC). Given the unique conditions of EMR countries, there is a need to design a model tailored to these contexts. Methods: This study is a multi-method research project conducted through several sub-studies, including a literature review, policy analysis, expert opinion (Delphi Method), dimension-specific analysis, model development, and its validation and refinement (Delphi Method). Drawing from the WHO model, six dimensions: policy, drug availability, education, community integration, service delivery, and research were considered to developing the model and implementation requirements. Within each dimension, evidence-based solutions tailored to the region's context were explored. Results: A successful palliative care model requires, in the policy dimension, oversight by the Ministry of Health (MOH). Having a focal-person or working group within the MOH is crucial for policy-making, formulation, and approval of clinical guidelines, as well as addressing care challenges. It is essential to provide access to morphine and other essential medications, along with facilitating the administration and consumption of morphine at home. Conducting empowerment courses for care providers, can address various challenges. Community involvement through volunteers, charities, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) is also important. To ensure service provision, monitoring and evaluating systems are crucial, along with striving for service continuity through an appropriate payment system. Lastly, research is necessary for needs assessment, evidence-based practice, and designing evaluation indicators. The proposed model relies on community health workers, especially nurses, as multitasking professionals available for community palliative care. In the presented model, special attention has been given to networking, collaboration, and the use of digital health technologies to support nurses. Conclusion: The model proposed for integrating palliative care into PHC should serve as a framework that enhances access to available and affordable services for countries in the region. While this model was developed based on the overall conditions of the region, each country can tailor it to its unique strengths and opportunities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Considerations for palliative care and quality of death has significantly increased over the past 10 years in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR). Recent trends in ageing and increasing chronic disease burden have drawn attention to the need to pay attention to the concept of good death and related factors from the perspective of the local population., Aims: To assess the factors related to good death in the EMR., Methods: We searched PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, and ProQuest on 22 October 2021 for English language articles, with no time limit, using keywords "quality of death", "good death", "quality of dying", "good dying", "Middle Eastern", and countries in the Region. The quality of articles was evaluated using the Hawker criterion and based on the PRISMA guidelines. From the thematic analysis, the factors influencing good death were extracted. EndNote X8 software was used for data management., Results: The search yielded 55 articles, and 14 were included in the study, with a total of 3589 participants. Factors related to good death were classified into 2 main categories: patient preferences and end-of-life care. The former was divided into 4 groups: symptom management, psychological support, social support, and spiritual care. The second category included 2 subcategories: death control and patient autonomy, and end-of-life care., Conclusion: Although patients' beliefs about good death are personal, unique, and different, perception about good death in the EMR depends on the extent to which patients' preferences are met and end-of-life care is provided. More research on good death is recommended in the context of Islamic countries in EMR, and to empower patients and their families to better manage the dying process and create educational programmes., (Copyright © World Health Organization (WHO) 2022. Open Access. Some rights reserved. This work is available under the CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/igo).)

Background: There is a global agreement that palliative care should be universally accessible. However, in low- and middle-income countries and conflict zones, most people lack access to it. In the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR), no country has achieved integration of palliative care into its health care system, and only 4 countries have better-than-isolated palliative care provision., Aims: To promote and guide palliative care improvement in the EMR, with case studies showing the successes and challenges of palliative care implementation from 4 countries in the Region., Methods: We developed a structured, succinct, case-writing format and invited palliative care leaders in the EMR to use it to describe successes and challenges in palliative care implementation in their countries., Results: Within the EMR, in addition to many challenges and needs, there are examples of successful palliative care policy development, community-based service creation, and paediatric palliative care implementation., Conclusion: The experiences of the regional palliative care leaders documented in succinct, structured case studies, can help guide regional palliative care development in the EMR and other regions., (Copyright © World Health Organization (WHO) 2022. Open Access. Some rights reserved. This work is available under the CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/igo).)