Dear readers,
This month we have many reasons to celebrate!
First, this issue marks the 21st Anniversary of the IAHPC Newsletter!
We are very proud of our Newsletter, but most of all we appreciate the work of those who have contributed for so many years to the content and made possible our monthly publication.
The Newsletter has proven to be a wonderful tool to disseminate a broad range of information and increase awareness about hospice and palliative care around the world. It has also served as a tool for many of you to learn about new developments, events and also to bring attention to your own programs, the challenges that many of you face and the progress that thousands have been able to achieve.
We also thank the many contributors and board members who have supplied us with outstanding content each month. We especially thank our previous Senior Editor, Dr. William Farr for his dedication during 18 years as editor, Dr. Roger Woodruff for his monthly book reviews, Dr. Katherine Pettus for her policy piece and Ms. Avril Jackson the current Senior Editor for the IAHPC Newsletter.
Many thanks as well to our members and readers who submit news and articles about their efforts and developments in their countries. Please remember that we accept articles for publication that describe your progress and the programs that you are implementing in your countries, as well as news from your region. Your articles enrich our newsletter and are a crucial part of our mission to facilitate communication. Please contact Avril if you are interested in submitting a piece for our Newsletter.
Thanks also to our webmaster, Mr. Danilo Fritzler for his excellent work in setting and distribution of the Newsletter. Each month Danilo receives the Newsletter from Avril, transforms it into an electronic file, creates a text version and a web version and sends it to nearly 8,000 subscribers!
The Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) in Vienna celebrated its 60th session last month with a focus on the rational access to controlled medicines. IAHPC co-sponsored, along with several other non-governmental organizations, a side event and Dr. Katherine Pettus, the IAHPC Advocacy Officer, participated actively during the meetings. See Katherine’s column which gives excellent information on the exciting things happening at CND.
Liliana went to Rome last month to participate in two meetings:
First, the Maruzza Foundation convened a group of global palliative care workers to develop the Charter on the Rights of Older Persons, following the successful campaign the Foundation led in 2016 culminating in the Religions of the World Charter for Children's Palliative Care. Participants representing different religious beliefs worked together for several weeks via email discussions and convened at a one-day meeting to develop the Charter. The Maruzza Foundation will be publishing the Charter in a few days. We are sure that this Charter will serve as a great advocacy tool to advance adequate policies and advance provision of good quality care for older persons with palliative care needs.
In the second meeting, the Pontifical Academy for Life – Academia Pro Vita (APV) – created a consultative group to study the expansion and development of palliative care around the world. The goal of this initiative is to make the various affected persons, both within and outside of the Church, aware of the scientific effectiveness and deep moral value of palliative care. Members of the APV and other palliative care leaders from different countries met to discuss and recommend the next steps on this effort. The working group will be developing a long-term plan to promote and disseminate palliative care and the essence of caring, respect and values of palliative care. We are looking forward to continuing our future work in the group and are grateful to both the Maruzza Foundation and the Academia Pro Vita for their invitations. Congratulations to their respective leaders, Mrs. Silvia Lefebvre D'Ovidio and Monsignor Vicenzo Paglia for their vision and efforts.
Last but not least, we have just published the IAHPC Annual Report 2016 and it is now available on our website. Please read the document and learn about our funders, the programs we invested in, our financial statements and our progress in implementing our strategic plan. Send us a note if you have comments and questions. We would love to hear from you!
Until next month,
Liliana De Lima, MHA
Executive Director
Lukas Radbruch, MD
Chair, Board of Directors
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