Table 4.

Palliative care challenges and solutions

Challenges	Solutions
• Need to recognize the program within the health care system • Lack of resources • Lack of trained personnel	Program approval within the health care system with an allotted budget for running the program, the educational trainings, and other related activities
• Lack of patients’ awareness	Community outreach activities and raising patients’ awareness
• Poor communication between health care professionals and patients and families	Provide appropriate and culturally relevant training to health care professionals
• Stigma of cancer and palliative care	Community outreach activities and health education
• Lack of governmental support	Proper introduction of the program to governmental stakeholders to gain trust and approval
• Restricted access to opioids	Conversations with the MOH Proper training and clear policies for opioid availability and administration
• Distance	Develop Train the Trainer capacity to spread palliative care throughout the region
• Palliative care currently focused in tertiary care areas	Introduce palliative care in all health care settings and within the community
• Instability/war in some Middle Eastern countries	Bring those health care professionals to a safe area for palliative care training Imbed palliative care into the health services that can be provided despite the political situation of the country
• Additional funding	Encourage sponsorship from different organization with the same interest, e.g., conducting fundraising activities or support from non-governmental organizations