Integrating palliative care to improve the care of children living with HIV in Indonesia

There is a significant gap in the provision of palliative care for children living with HIV (CLHIV) in Indonesia. While Indonesia has one of the highest rates of HIV infection amongst children in Asia, there is limited availability and access to palliative care services for CLHIV, especially for those living in rural areas. This paper highlights the need to scale up the provision of pediatric palliative care services for CLHIV in the country through the integration of palliative care into existing HIV care. This integration would not only increase the accessibility of palliative care for CLHIV, but also improve the quality of HIV care by addressing and meeting individual needs, enhancing retention in HIV care and improving quality of life amongst CLHIV. An effective integration of palliative care may be achieved by adopting World Health Organization's Public Health Strategy for Palliative Care, with adaptations made to accommodate the unique geographical and cultural contexts of Indonesia.