Traveling Scholars Program Report
Natalia Carafizi, Master
Travel date: September 19, 2022
Name of Meeting/Event/Activity: 7th Public Health Palliative Care International Conference
Origin: Chisinau, Moldova / Destination: Bruges, Belgium
Photos
Natalia Carafizi How was this meeting/activity helpful to you?
The 7th Public Health Palliative Care International Conference “Democratizing caring, dying and grieving: participation, action, understanding and evaluation” took part in a very atmosphere city of Bruges. It was not “an ordinary experience” of learning the new schemes of the symptoms’ control, setting up of the new palliative care services or describing clinical experience with incurable patients and families, it was above it. Palliative care is impossible to understand without finding its sense and acceptance of the total life circle, including acknowledgment of the death and dying. The presenters and participants of the forum proved that attitudes towards this is similar, but approaches can be different. In the society I’m living and working, these issues cannot be discussed openly with every person, and taking part in this Conference was elucidating on how other countries, where palliative care is more developed, can be holistically organized, being not only focused on the medical component, but also making a significant part of the society, culture, education and religion. There are no forbidden issues in palliative care that can be discussed with the fear to the subject, and the Conference was an every-session proof of that. I’m very grateful to the IAHPC travel scholarship program for this unique opportunity to join the vibrant event in person.
How will you new knowledge & acquired skills help in furthering your work in hospice and palliative care in your program/city/ or country?
The newly accumulated information just after the arrival back into the country was shared with the colleagues from the National Association of Palliative Care, that is the main promoter and actual planner of the palliative care strategies and policies in the country. We do realize, it is not easily to change the society’s attitude towards such sensitive issues as death, dying, grief, mourning are, to the realistic and acceptable ones, but that’s a good time to start thinking in this direction planning new projects with non-medical
institutions and local communities. Palliative care cannot be introduced and developed solely as the only medical component. It definitely should be represented as a wide and comprehensive part of the medical and general life.
How IAHPC Traveling Scholars Program be improved in order to help other future traveling scholars?
The program for many years is well organized and structured. There is no need to improve it from my point of view.