In 2014, the World Health Assembly (WHA67.19) passed a resolution on strengthening palliative care as a component of comprehensive care throughout the life course. The May 2017 WHA70.12 resolution on cancer also commits Governments to provide pain relief and palliative care to their citizens. The African Union (AU) Common Position on Controlled Substances and Access to Pain Medications speaks to the availability of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances to provide relief from pain and the suffering associated with serious chronic illnesses. Palliative care is a component of Universal Health Coverage (UHC), which has a central place in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.
