Palliative care is often viewed as a specialized medical service reserved for those with life-limiting illnesses. However, recent research suggests that its principles can significantly enhance humanitarian responses by addressing both immediate and long-term needs. The study titled "The 'New-Old' Dimensions of Caring in Humanitarian Response" explores how integrating palliative care into humanitarian efforts can create a more humane and effective system.
The "New-Old" Lens: Bridging Tradition and Modernity
The research emphasizes viewing both palliative care and humanitarian fields through a "new-old" lens. This approach intertwines historical caring practices with progressive discourse to create a more just and appropriate public health response. By doing so, humanitarian efforts can benefit from the rich traditions of caring that have existed for centuries while incorporating modern advancements.
The Humanitarian-Development Nexus
The humanitarian-development nexus (HDN) calls for increased collaboration between organizations working in emergency and development settings. Palliative care offers a holistic approach that spans acute and chronic illnesses, making it an ideal framework for operationalizing HDN. By focusing on need rather than time-specification, palliative care can bridge the gap between short-term relief and long-term development goals.
Decoloniality: A Path to Equity
The study also highlights the importance of decoloniality in humanitarian response. Traditional Western models of palliative care often fail to account for the cultural and contextual norms of non-Western communities. By adopting a public health lens, palliative care can disrupt colonial divisions and promote mutual knowledge exchange across cultures.
Localization: Empowering Communities
Localization seeks to formalize the role of local responders in crises. Public health palliative care recognizes the existing social capital within communities as central to caring for those with life-limiting illnesses. By harnessing these local assets, humanitarian efforts can become more contextually relevant and person-centered.
The Ethical Imperative: Recovering Historical Humanitarian Ethos
Palliative care privileges human relationships, compassion, and dignity—values deeply embedded in the historical ethos of humanitarianism. By integrating these principles into modern humanitarian response, we can recover the essence of humanity that is often lost in bureaucratic processes.
A Call to Action for Practitioners
This research opens new avenues for practitioners to enhance their skills by incorporating palliative care principles into their work. It encourages further exploration into how these "new-old" dimensions can advance both fields toward more equitable and effective outcomes.
To read the original research paper, please follow this link: The “New-Old” Dimensions of Caring in Humanitarian Response: The Opportunity for Public Health Palliative Care to Advance the Humanitarian-Development Nexus, Decoloniality, and Localization Thought.
