Experiences and Challenges of a New Palliative Care Service in the United Arab Emirates.
Palliative care as a medical subspecialty in the United Arab Emirates is very much in its formative
stage of development. This retrospective review of all the referrals to our palliative and supportive care service within the first 9-months of operation is a direct reflection of the challenges we currently face in the
day-to-day delivery of palliative care in the UAE.
Of a total of 360 referrals received during the study period, under 50% were for local, Emirati patients with international expatriates making up the rest. Most of the referrals received were for symptom control and end-of-life care,
with 85% of the patients having a diagnosis of cancer. One third of the referrals received were for EoLC, with 90% of the patients who received EoLC on a hospital ward having a valid do not attempt resuscitation status in place. For the patients
who received EoLC, all but one patient received EoLC in the hospital setting.
Our experiences are consistent with the challenges that other colleagues in the Middle East and North Africa region
face in providing palliative care. The majority of referrals to the palliative and supportive care service
were for patients with a diagnosis of cancer with only 15% reflecting a non-cancer diagnosis. Of the 150 decedents cared for during this study period, more than 75% had a valid DNAR status in effect suggesting a growing awareness and acceptance of a less medicalized EoLC period.
Palliat Med Hosp Care Open J. 2022; 8(2): 30-34. doi: 10.17140/PMHCOJ-8-150