Exam (elaborations)
Take home essay Health, Globalisation and Human Rights (AM_470818)
- Course
- Institution
This is the take home essay on euthanasia for Health, Globalisation and Human Rights with resources.
[Show more]
Seller
Follow
yaralangeveld
Reviews received
Content preview
A Focus on Killing the Pain, Not the PatientYara Langeveld (2760223)
Workgroup 3/subgroup 10 - Health, Globalisation and Human Rights - MPA
20/12/2023
938 words (without title and in-text references)
Due to an ageing population, Dutch healthcare services are under a high pressure, resulting in a
decline in the quality of palliative care and a lack of institutional and workforce capacity for
euthanasia (Cristea et al., 2020). Palliative care addresses patient’s physical, social and spiritual
needs through various services, but currently has a limited reach due to a lack of training and
skills of professionals, public awareness and availability of resources (Hawley, 2017). Additionally,
euthanasia, which stands for assisted death performed by a physician through administering
lethal substances, was granted to only 29% of all requests in 2019 (Expertisecentrum Euthanasie,
2020; Expertisecentrum Euthanasie, 2022). As the share of the population aged 65 and over is
expected to rise to 29% in 2070, the pressure on healthcare, and the accompanying decline in
the quality and availability of palliative care and euthanasia, is expected to intensify even further
(Cristea et al., 2020; Expertisecentrum Euthanasie, 2020). Therefore, the Dutch Ministry of
Health is advised to shift their focus to mainly investing in palliative care, which ensures respect
for life and dignity of patients, their right to health and healthcare, and equal, accessible care.
This way, the ministry will invest in killing the pain instead of the patient.
The advice for the ministry to focus investments on palliative care is based on several arguments.
At first, this ensures respect for life and dignity, as palliative care aims to improve the quality of
life of patients with serious, progressive and far-advanced illnesses, such as cancer, dementia
and heart failure, by relieving them of suffering (Math & Chaturvedi, 2012; NIA, 2021). By
providing diverse services, among which treatment of symptoms such as pain, emotional support
and care planning, by multiple professionals, the value of human life and living in dignity until the
natural end are respected (Math & Chaturvedi, 2012; NIA, 2021). Secondly, focusing on improving
palliative care honours the right to health and healthcare, as included in the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), because it enables comprehensive care and support for
patients by addressing their emotional, physical and spiritual needs and involving their family
(Hawley, 2017; UN, n.d.). For instance, a patient suffering from cancer can simultaneously receive
medication to relieve symptoms and pain, physical therapy to deal with the emotional
consequences of their illness and the end of life, and group counseling and relaxation techniques
with family members, in addition to other treatments he or she receives (Cancer.Net, 2023). As a
result, the quality of life can be enhanced and the focus will lie on care instead of ending life as a
rapid cure to suffering (Hawley, 2017). Thirdly, besides an improvement in the quality,
governmental investments will also increase the availability of palliative care, which ensures
equal, accessible care for everyone, thereby addressing the fundamental principle of equality of
the UDHR (UN, n.d.). Currently, there are still many inefficiencies, such as delays in organising
palliative care at home and difficulties in the reimbursement of intensive palliative care, which
restrict its availability, affordability and accessibility and require attention (Algemene
Rekenkamer, 2021).
Although palliative care can enhance the quality of life of a large group of patients, there are also
cases in which the suffering is unbearable and irreversible, and physicians are unable to take
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller yaralangeveld. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $3.96. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
Can Stuvia be trusted?
4.6 stars on Google & Trustpilot (+1000 reviews)
49497 documents were sold in the last 30 days
Founded in 2010, the go-to place to buy study notes for 14 years now