Traveling Scholars Program Report
Birtar Magdalena-Delia, MD
Travel date: May 30, 2018
Name of Meeting/Event/Activity: 3rd ICPCN Conference: Inspiration, Innovation, Integration
Origin: Brasov, Romania / Destination: Durban, South Africa
Photos
Birtar Magdalena-Delia presenting at the conference How was this meeting/activity helpful to you?
The first gain was that this bursary allowed me to participate in the ICPCN Annual Board meeting where we established the Strategic Plan of Developement for the next 3 years, and did discuss other current organisational issues. Another gain was to find out news in different area of PPC from prestigious lecturers. This information will help me in my practice in the care of about 160 children needing PC and I will share the news with our staff. Another gain was the network with international community of professionals and establishing links which can be helpful for supporting each other with difficult cases, with advocacy, research, etc. I did strengthen the links with colleagues from all over the world. I was honored that the study which we did in Hospice Casa Sperantei Brasov was accepted as an oral presentation in the section Service Delivery. So we shared from our experience which services are most needed and more efficient. The study was very welcomed and was followed by discussions in the session moderated by Joan Marston (South Africa) and Sat Jassal (UK).
How will you new knowledge & acquired skills help in furthering your work in hospice and palliative care in your program/city/ or country?
I will send the information from the book of abstracts to the people from our national and regional network of PPC. I will be able to include the up-to-date information in the courses for doctors, nurses and other professionals, courses which I teach in Romania and in the surrounding countries
How IAHPC Traveling Scholars Program be improved in order to help other future traveling scholars?
I want to express my gratitude for the scholarship and to assure you that the benefit of this is enourmous for those who cannot afford to pay for such a conference, but also for those from developed countries who can learn from people from poor resource countries who manage to develop services with limited resources. The process of applying for scholarship was clear and Genevieve Napier managed very well the selection process and she was always ready to assist me with my questions.
Narrative summary highlighting the needs and challanges you face
In Romania we started PPC 22 years ago and have a well developed service in Brasov, and do lot of education through our Study Center. Following education and lobby at different levels, other PC services for children started in 5 other towns from the country, but the need is still not covered. (only 10 % of children needing PC have access to it). One challenge is the lack of money, and another is that the area of PC is not appealing for medical staff.
The film with Dr MR Rajagopal about pioneering PC in India was an encouragement that the things can be changed, with lots of determination and patience, even if this will take many years, and this is the way in which the PC has won ground in Romania as well.
The network with international community of professionals is helpful for supporting each other with difficult cases, with advocacy, research, etc.