Traveling Scholars Program Report
B. Sunil S. De Silva, Mr.
Travel date: September 10, 2019
Name of Meeting/Event/Activity: Oceanic Palliative Care Conference 2019 (19OPCC)
Origin: Colombo, SriLanka / Destination: Perth, Australia
How was this meeting/activity helpful to you?
This is great opportunity to me to present our research work in palliative care to the international audience. Meet with experts, networking, and listen and read the research activities of international world-class palliative care have helped me to broaden my understanding of palliative care. I have already built up some connections with scholars in this event for future collaboration. That will be a great opportunity for me to initiate further collaborative research or commence palliative care educational activities for my nursing students as a Senior Lecturer in Nursing, attached to the Open University of Sri Lanka. Further, I fortunate to meet the Executive Director, Liliana De Lima and the staff of IAHPC personally. Meeting with them further expand my understanding about IAHPC. I was able to renew my membership for another two years too.
How will you new knowledge & acquired skills help in furthering your work in hospice and palliative care in your program/city/ or country?
As I am a Senior Lecturer in Nursing, attached to the Open University of Sri Lanka, education and the advocacy that results from new skills and knowledge definitely help me to apply my teaching, research activities and contribute to policy making activities in national level for the advancement of palliative care in my university as well as in the country. As a PhD student in the field of palliative care at the University of New Mexico, USA, this knowledge and skills further help me to my studentship.
How IAHPC Traveling Scholars Program be improved in order to help other future traveling scholars?
This scholarship is very good opportunity for the people who wish to present their work in the international community. If you mean funding, 1) you may plan to some fund-raising activities in the IAHPC stall in the exhibition such as selling some souvenirs, books, etc. for nominal fee, 2) Keep some donation box in the stall, 3) More publicity about the importance of the scholarship for special third world countries. 4) Other; a) Overall appreciate simple application process and funding process. It more convenient for future applicants. b) Interested applicant like us can encourage to disseminate the scholarship opportunity among our friends
Narrative summary highlighting the needs and challanges you face
As palliative care in Sri Lanka is at very premature level, education and the advocacy that results from new skills and knowledge that were acquired from the Oceanic Palliative Care Conference (OPCC) can be the strongest drivers to develop palliative care education and research for Sri Lankan nurses. It will further help to develop the specialty of palliative care in Sri Lanka which was not properly practice within the Sri Lankan health care system yet.