Marching for Palliative Care in Nepal IAHPC member Dr. Bikash Anand, the first registered palliative care doctor in Nepal and palliative care unit head at Bhaktapur Cancer Hospital, sent us images of a rally to creating awareness on World Hospice & Palliative Care Day, propelled by the attention-getting clamor of percussion instruments. The day also celebrated a formal palliative care sensitization program, and the inauguration of two end-of-life-care beds. Photos (this one and a lead photo on our website Nov. 21 to Dec. 4) used with permission.
China Conference Reflects the Importance of Palliative Care in Asia
By Tania Pastrana
IAHPC Research Advisor
I was honored to represent the IAHPC at the Advances in Palliative Medicine & Hospice Care Academic Conference held at West China Xiamen Hospital of Sichuan University in Xiamen from October 11 to 13, 2024.
IAHPC member Professor Huiping Chen curated a diverse program with national and international speakers from a variety of fields, including IAHPC members and professors Wei Gao and Jinxiang Li. A central theme was advancing palliative care education in China, with a focus on integrating palliative care into undergraduate training and working toward its recognition as a specialty. About 20% of the people in the world who need palliative care live in China, lending global significance to China's role in the future of palliative care.
We took the opportunity to also visit the new palliative care ward at the hospital, and spoke with team members there.
World Hospice & Palliative Care Day, which coincided with the conference, was recognized with a session on "Exploring the Development of Palliative Medicine/Hospice in China." Local and international experts took part, fostering a valuable exchange of knowledge and perspectives on the growth of palliative care in China.
I am grateful for the warm welcome and the engaging exchange of ideas!
Faculty members and speakers at the recent palliative care conference in Xiamen. Photo used with permission.
IAHPC Retains Top-Rated Status
Thanks to people expressing public appreciation for the work that we do, the IAHPC has maintained its top-rated status with GreatNonprofits. Our members are vocal proponents of our work to relieve health-related suffering, particularly in lower-income countries. IAHPC offers:
- courses giving practical guidance to palliative care clinicians and other health care workers
- reliable resources, such as Pallipedia, the online palliative care dictionary with so much more than definitions
- useful publications, such as the Getting Started guide to launching a palliative care or hospice service
- programs that give a helping hand to improve on-the-ground services for those in need
- member fees on a sliding scale, to respond to economic realities
- & more
IAHPC does not accept corporate funding: our work depends utterly on memberships and donations. Please consider becoming a member or making a donation, to help us continue the important work of improving the quality of life for those most in need.
Read more of this week's issue of Pallinews
Palliative Care for Professionals
Report by Alejandra Palma on an effective distance education system for health care professionals in Chile, sparked by the country's universal palliative care mandate.
Book Review
Intentionally Interprofessional Palliative Care is both a comprehensive textbook and practical guide, says reviewer Anna Keedwell.
A Regional Powerhouse
Introduction to PACED's many projects to expand and extend palliative care knowledge among health care professionals.
Plus
Two Surveys Underway An international survey of health care professionals is underway to understand how palliative care is provided for patients with heart failure. It is part of the Horizon-EU-funded RAPHAEL project. Those who work with patients with heart failure are invited to take this anonymous, five-minute survey.
An international survey about access to non-pharmacologic interventions for managing children's pain in palliative care, as well as regulatory limitations and barriers to providing quality pain relief to children, is being done by ICPCN and St. Jude's Global Palliative Care Program. Pediatric health care professionals are invited to take this survey, which requires a maximum of 15 minutes.
Like to Speak with Students? Interviews are being arranged in January between volunteers and Master's in Palliative Care students from a variety of health care fields studying in Germany and the Netherlands. Interviews are estimated to last around 30-45 minutes, and palliative care professionals around the globe are being sought as volunteers. If interested, contact [email protected].
IAHPC resources
Always available to all
Global Directory of Educational Programs in Palliative Care, a searchable, continually updated compilation with detailed listings.
Always available to members
Advanced Pain Assessment and Management Course consisting primarily of a discussion of clinical cases.
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