ABSTRACT
This chapter examines challenging proposition. Conscious of the appalling unfolding tragedy of HIV/AIDS, the poorly-met needs of cancer patients and the inadequacy of governmental response throughout the African continent. Infectious diseases such as tuberculosis, malaria and HIV/AIDS have caused widespread paediatric morbidity and mortality. Growing numbers of children and adolescents have HIV/AIDS. The adequacy of, and access to, the provision of palliative care for children varies enormously around the world. One modern response to the inadequacy of governmental response has been to articulate a simple but challenging proposition – that the provision of palliative care for children is a human right. At international law the rights of children to the provision of health services derives from several international covenants. There are two sources for guidance from the World Health Organization (WHO): the WHO definition of paediatric palliative care and population-wide WHO recommendations on palliative care, which include children and adolescents.
