Editor’s Notes
William Farr, PhD, MD
Medical Guidelines for Pain Relief in Common Diseases Are Lacking, According to an article in a recent issue of Journal of Palliative Medicine. To read this interesting article go to the URL below and then click on Integrating Palliative Care into Disease Management: Guidelines
http://www.liebertpub.com/publication.aspx?pub_id=41
Send Us Your Best Ideas! – New Section !
If you have an interesting idea on how to promote hospice/palliative care to physicians, patients and government agencies send them to us for possible publication. Please do so in 70 words or less.
Send your best ideas to: Editor IAHPC [email protected]
The following idea was sent to us recently, “National pc/hospice associations should hold their annual professional meetings in their capital city where their parliament and government bodies are located. The associations then plan events including gov't officials, as well as, setting up meetings for participants to meet their representatives and speak to them about issues related to pc.”
Let’s hear your best ideas!
News From Latvia : Looking for partners
Partnership programm from Latvia.
Dear colleagues,
Our Society of the Children’s Palliative Care in Latvia has won the EOUAL project competition and has got financing for the next 3 years for the new complex of services in children’s palliative care. It includes social reintegration of the family before and after children’s death.
At the present moment we are looking for international partners in the European Union countries, that have had good results in the EOUAL programms. I would like to ask members of your Association who are involved in an EOUAL project, and would like to cooperate with our society, to please contact me.
With best regards,
Dr Anda Jansone
[email protected]
News from Bulgaria
In 1996 the Interregional Cancer hospital created an outpatient pain consulting unit for patients who have cancer caused pain. In 1998, the next step was to create an inpatient structure to treat difficult to control pain. This became the first hospital based inpatient palliative care department. Inpatients have been treated in the department since October 1998.
The department consists of the inpatient unit and an outpatient consulting unit. It has 12 hospital beds, 6 nurses, 1 doctor, a psychologist, a social worker and a priest, as well as 10 caregivers. The members of the team also work in the outpatient consulting unit. 4231 visits were made to the outpatient unit during 2004 and 325 in patients were treated in the inpatient ward for the same year.
Since 2003, together with the medical college Vratsa , the medical college Den Helden, Holland and with the financial help of the Dutch government and MATRA foundation we developed a postgraduate training course for nurses as a subspecialty - palliative care and care for elderly and handicapped patients. The training program was approved by the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Science and Education and Bulgarian Medical Academy . The main target of this project is to teach the future teachers and to create a textbook in Palliative Care Nursing for Bulgaria and Holland .
We are now training the future teachers of palliative care from five other medical colleges in Bulgaria . The hospital training of future palliative nurses will be the palliative care department of the Interregional Cancer Hospital Vratsa . In 2003 we established the Bulgarian Association of Palliative Care. The National health insurance fund created, and funds, a clinical pathway in palliative care. We were authorized by the Bulgarian Ministry of Health to create the national standards in palliative care. We have the intention and we are trying to create a regional, and why not, a national library and information center in palliative care for professionals, caregivers and patients. We also plan to organize teaching seminars in palliative care in April for GPs.
Although only a brief synopsis, these are our future plans and we hope that with hard work and God’s goodwill we shall succeed.
Dr. Nikolay Yordanov MD
EAPC-East Newsletter
The latest issue of the Newsletter contains information on:
- Update on plans for development of palliative care – recommendations
- 2nd Global summit of National Hospice and Palliative Care Organisations
- Work for changing of laws on opioids in Romania
- A new hospice service is born in Russia
- The first World Hospice and Palliative Care Day - Voices for Hospices
- Future Newsletter comes from Budapest
To read the Newsletter go to URL: www.eapceast.org
Reports from the International Observatory on End of Life Care
http://www.eolc-observatory.net/index.htm
Botswana Country Report
A country report for Botswana has recently been posted on the website of the International Observatory on End of Life Care
(http://www.eolc-observatory.net/global_analysis/botswana.htm).
Though not financially resource poor, Botswana has a dearth of specialised human resources, particularly in the field of palliative care. Since the first HIV/AIDS case was diagnosed in 1985, the overall prevalence rate has soared to 37.3% in 2003, resulting in a renewed commitment from government and support from the President’s emergency plan for AIDS relief (PEPFAR, 2003). The report identifies ten palliative care services provided by three NGOs and includes information from the WHO community health approach to palliative care for HIV/AIDS and cancer patients in Africa.
I do hope that you have the opportunity to visit this very informative series of pages!
Malawi Country Report
A country report for Malawi has recently been posted on the website of the International Observatory on End of Life Care
(http://www.eolc-observatory.net/global_analysis/malawi.htm).
One of the poorest and least developed countries in the world, Malawi has been badly affected by HIV/AIDS, with an estimated prevalence rate up to 18% in 2003. The report identifies 12 palliative care services currently provided by five organisations, with a national lead taken by Lighthouse. After an innovative collaboration with government, pain control has improved significantly since the introduction of oral morphine and MST. Among the many international organisations that currently provide assistance, Hospice Africa Uganda has featured prominently with regard to advocacy and training.
Uganda Country Report
A country report for Uganda has recently been posted on the website of the International Observatory on End of Life Care
(http://www.eolc-observatory.net/global_analysis/uganda.htm).
The report details the development of Uganda ’s 155 services, currently provided by eight organisations. Against a backdrop of partnership with government, and falling HIV prevalence, attention is also drawn to the influence of Hospice Africa Uganda and the role of the NGO both within Uganda and throughout the region. An additional feature of this report is the extended section on ethical issues which draws on the transcripts of recorded interviews conducted during the project.
Any comments welcome.
Best regards,
Anthony Greenwood
Information Support Officer International Observatory on End of Life Care
Institute for Health Research
Bowland Tower East
Lancaster University
Lancaster LA1 4YG
United Kingdom
IAHPC Clearing House Program: Feedback
Subject: Thanks for the donation
Dear Ms De Lima,
We have recieved the books/journal and CDs sent by the IAHPC Clearing House Program. We are very thankful for your kind consideration, as Shaukat Khanum Cancer Hospital is the only organization made for the treatment of poor cancer patients free of cost. We are a trust based organization. The palliative care unit of our hospital is very happy to receive such helpful books.
Thanks again
Raza Qadeer
Palliative Care Service
7A, R3, MA Johar Town
GPO Box 2072
Lahore , PAKISTAN
Meetings and Courses
Multi-Professional PLUS
St Christopher’s Hospice, London
2-20 May 2005
MP Plus is an exciting and dynamic new course designed for health or social care professionals who may be leaders in their field, now or in the future, and wish to implement local palliative care services. The course includes the established Multi-Professional week and in addition a week of clinical attachment provides an opportunity to see palliative care in practice. Opportunities will be provided to look at issues such as the Management of Change, Communication, Teaching and Presentation Skills.
St Christopher’s invites applicants from developing countries or those with a financial need to apply for a limited number of bursaries.
For more information and the application details, contact Education Administration
Phone: (+44) (0) 208 768 4656
Fax (+44) (0) 208 776 5838
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.stchristophers.org.uk
Conference on Cancer in the Developing World
21-25 March 2005
Cairo , Egypt
The International Union Against Cancer (UICC), in close partnership with the National Cancer Institute of Cairo (NCI) and the Arab Medical Association Against Cancer (AMAAC), is pleased to invite you to attend the conference on “Cancer in the Developing World” from 21-25 March 2005 in Cairo, Egypt.
Health systems in developing countries are often overburdened. Due to lack of funds, cancer control and prevention efforts in many low and middle-income countries fall way behind other health priorities of their national health authorities. National Cancer Control Programmes encounter significant constraints such as the lack of cancer control centres, the deficiency of cancer registries, the unavailability of detection and screening programmes, and, the increasing cost of new medications, treatment and diagnostic facilities.
This conference is an opportunity to gain new insight, develop new understanding as well as exchange experiences and share best practices on cancer control and prevention strategies in developing country settings.
NCI-UICC-AMAAC are looking forward to welcoming you to the vibrant city of Cairo . Please visit http://www.uicc.org, for more information on the conference, the abstract and registrations forms as well as information on hotel reservations.
Best regards.
The Communications Group
The International Union Against Cancer (UICC)
3, rue du Conseil-Général
1205 Geneva
Switzerland
Scientific Program
The updated preliminary Scientific Program is now on the forum website.
To view the program please visit http://www.kenes.com/ifpm/tt.asp
Abstract Submission
You may submit an abstract for poster presentation via the abstract submission form at:
http://www.kenes.com/ifpm/call.asp
Registration and Accommodation
The online registration form is available at http://www.kenes.com/ifpm/reg.asp
Accommodation at special Forum prices may be reserved at http://www.kenes.com/ifpm/accom.asp
If you require any further information regarding the Forum please contact us at [email protected]
or visit the web site at http://www.kenes.com/ifpm.
Kind regards,
Forum Secretariat
IFPM Secretariat
Kenes International
17 Rue du Cendrier
P.O. Box 1725
CH1211, Geneva 1
Switzerland
Tel: + 41 22 908 0488
Fax: +41 22 732 2850
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: http://www.kenes.com/ifpm
People Living With Cancer Live Chat
ASCO’s patient information website, People Living With Cancer will host a chat on Patient Care at the End of Life.
Tuesday, February 22, 2005
2:00 – 3:00 PM ET
http://www.plwc.org/
*Featured Expert:*
Charles Loprinzi, MD Mayo Clinic
During the chat Dr. Loprinzi will answer questions on topics such as:
- How does a person decide when to stop getting chemotherapy?
- When should hospice be considered?
- What is the goal of hospice care?
- Working with the health-care team to treat symptoms at the end of life
- Understanding "do not resuscitate" or "no-code" issues
- The impact on the family and the role of the caregiver
- Communication and decision making
- Emotional needs
For additional information about ASCO’s Live Chat view brochure here
Contact Jeannine M. Salamone at (703) 299-1014
Website at: http://www.plwc.org/
William Farr, MD
Newsletter Editor
www.hospicecare.com
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