Olga Usenko

Dr. Olga Usenko, MD, MPH, is a Russian doctor specialising in palliative care and activist for patients' rights. Since 1999 she has been working to improve the quality of palliative care in both Russia and abroad. She was one of the authors of the first Russian guidelines on palliative care for nurses.

Dr. Usenko currently works at Tampa General Hospital in Florida, USA.

What chance of going gently into that good night?

Russia has an ageing population, a growing HIV/AIDS epidemic, and an inadequate system of palliative care for terminally ill patients that leaves Russians feeling betrayed. The failure of authorities to tackle the problems makes a bad situation worse, says Olga Usenko.

By Olga Usenko

/ 11 Oct 2013