IAPC Newsletter: May 2019

From The President’s Desk

It has been two months since I took charge as presidentship of our esteemed organization- The ‘Indian Association of Palliative care’. I feel delighted that with efforts of all the stalwarts of Palliative Medicine, we could achieve the following by meticulous follow up in just two months, which I promised as my immediate goal.

1. Medical Council of India recognized teaching and training of Palliative Medicine in Under graduate curriculum and accepted the suggested changes in the new upcoming curriculum. Congratulation to all those who worked hard and we are grateful to Prof VK Paul, Chairman, Medical Council of India for making this historic change in the curriculum.
2. Three new centers- Chandigarh Medical College, Tata Cancer Centre, Raipur, and IGMS, Patna started the IAPC Basic Course in Essentials of Palliative Care. All the best to all the new centers.
3. Two Medical College of Rajasthan, SMS Medical College, Jaipur and SP Medical College, Bikaner are geared up to start MD, Palliative Medicine. Two seats per year have been approved in each medical college by the MCI. Congratulations team Rajasthan. Good news for our MD, Palliative Medicine students. They will be the finest choice as ‘Faculty’ in all these newly developed departments.
4. RMI, Competency training document, is through by Department of Revenue and they have sent it to Ministry of Health and Family Welfare for further action. At least one step is through. Congratulations Dr Nandini Vallath and team for working hard to create this document.

We all must be happy that major Institutions of the country are coming forward and starting Palliative care programs. I am overwhelmed by the encouragement and support we are getting from all parts of the country /world and from almighty who is giving strength to all of us to work hard to develop this most important aspect of medical science to relieve the unaddressed suffering of our patients who are down with chronic debilitating conditions.’

New Centres Started for Providing Pain and Palliative Care Services

1. Government Medical College, Srinagar.
   The first pain management clinic was thrown open to the needs of the patient with persistent pain in various diseases including cancer at Government Medical College, Srinagar, on 17th April’19. Dr. Abdul Hameed, head of the department of Anaesthesia at GMC Srinagar, said that the pain clinic would be a “game changer” in the health care scenario in the state. It would greatly benefit patients suffering from chronic and cancer pain. He added that such patients do not need to endure pain anymore and that it could be relieved with state – of- art techniques now in Kashmir. (Read more at: www.greaterkashmir.com )
   

   

   

2. GNRC Group Of Hospitals, Guwahati.
   The GNRC Group of Hospitals, in association with IAPC , North East Zone, have initiated the Pain and Palliative Care Department in Guwahati on 10th November 2018. The department is headed by Dr. Kalpajit Dutta, MD Anaesthesia & trained Palliative Care Physician. An inaugural CME was the main attraction . The CME covered palliative care topics by eminent speakers – Dr. Sanghamitra Bora, Dr. Dinesh Goswami and Dr. Naba J. Borah. The inaugural speech was given by Dr. Amal Kataki, Director of B. Barooah Cancer Institute, Guwahati. 150 delegates attended the program and interacted in the sessions. Topics such as Opioid availability and Basics of Palliative Care were discussed.
3. District Hospital, Almorah.
   Palliative care OPD, has started functioning in room no 40, District Hospital, Almorah in the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand. The Government of Uttarakhand has taken the initiative to facilitate this development. Dr. Akhilesh, a palliative care physician trained from AIIMS, Delhi is heading this project. Congratulations Dr. Aditi Chaturvedi. With your hard work, Palliative care in Uttarakhand has developed in a big way. We are proud of you.

Activities

Palliative care workshop for Nursing students

A Report by Mr Suresh T. P., Zonal member IAPC

The NGO, DNipCare held a Palliative Care Sensitization workshop for the Nursing Students of School of Nursing, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital on 11th April 2019. Dr. Rakesh Garg, Asso Prof, Onco-anaesthesia and Pain and Palliative Care, IRCH, AIIMS, New Delhi was the main speaker. This was followed by a talk on the ‘Role of Nurses in Palliative Care’ by Mrs. Nileema Shingade, Senior Nursing Officer, IRCH, AIIMS, New Delhi and KV Hamza, General Secretary, DNipCare spoke about ‘Community based Palliative Care.’ The program was coordinated by Mr Suresh Thaliyari, Secretary, DNipCare and North Zone member, IAPC.

Volunteer Certificate Course

Volunteer certificate course has been successfully conducted from 30th March’19 to 4rth April’19 in two centers,as reported by IAPC South Zone member, Mr. Radhakrishnan Menon. Cansupport palliative care center,  New Delhi imparted training to 13 volunteers on 30th March and 2nd April’19.

Another session was in Mother Anna Pallitive care center, Kanyakumari, where 21 volunteers were imparted training on 3rd and 4th April’19.

Publications

Hindi version of WHO Palliative workbook of carers’ launched

A community sensitization programme for palliative care workers was conducted by Dr. Divya Mishra, palliative physician at LBSNAA, at Mussoorie where the book was first introduced in English. As many volunteers in Nothern India are not well versed in English so the need to translate it in Hindi was felt. With the encouragement of Dr. Suresh Kumar, IPM, Calicut , Dr. Divya assembled a team to start translating the Hindi version to English. The team is looking for funds and publishers for publication of Hindi version to be made widely available.

For more details details visit: https://palliativecare.in/hindi-version-of-palliative-workbook-of-carers/

THE HIDDEN OPIOID CRISIS: HOW THE SO CALLED ‘WAR ON DRUGS’ LEAVES PATIENTS TO DIE IN PAIN

A report by Health Poverty Action, UK.

Health Poverty Action is a British non-governmental organisation, founded in 1984 as “Health Unlimited” that aims to secure health care access for marginalised communities in developing countries. It aims to bring sustainable solutions to people suffering from poor health due to war, poverty, or marginalization from care for other reasons. Their new briefing – ‘The hidden opioid crisis: How the so-called ‘war on drugs’ forces patients to die in pain’. examinees how prohibition prevents patients accessing opioid-based pain relief such as morphine and leaves patients to die in pain’. It examines the impact of the so-called ‘war on drugs’ on access to opioid- based pain relief, such as morphine in three Indian states.

“They are afraid of getting morphine into hospitals because of the fear of addiction and stigma around the medical use of opioids. Some doctors call it ‘the collateral damage of the war on drugs.’’- says Dr. Savita Butola, Palliative Medicine specialist from the Border Security Force in the article.

Read the complete report at: https://www.healthpovertyaction.org/change-is-happening/campaign-issues/a-21st-century-approach-to-drugs/the-hidden-opioid-crisis/

Pharmacogenomics in Palliative Medicine: Plans for a study in the palliative population in India

Prof. (Dr.) Naveen Salins, Editor, IJPC revealed that a plan is being made to conduct a major phamacogenomic study in Palliative Care patients in association with Prof Mahadeva Rao, head of Translational Research Centre, who was a scientist at NCI/NIH for the last 15 years. This study would assess CYP2D6 and CYP3A4 in all patients commenced on opoids and correlating the genomics with response and toxicity. This would be the first of its kind in India.

For details, kindly log on to www.jpalliativecatre.com.

Academic Course Announcements

IAPC – Certificate Course in Essentials of Palliative Care (CCEPC) – 2019

Certificate Course in Essentials of Palliative Care (CCEPC) is a distance education program for Doctors and Nurses in Palliative Care. This course aims to inculcate the principles of Palliative Care to improve patient care through proper communication and effective management of difficult symptoms. CCEPC is conducted through 37 centers in India.

This course has two components: Part A and optional Part B- Hands on Training in Palliative Care. Part A consists of a contact session of 15 hours in the beginning followed by 8 weeks of distant learning and a final evaluation.

Those who successfully complete Part A can do Part B – 10 days Hands on Training – within a year. The certificate awarded to candidates who successfully complete the Hands on Training will enable them to apply for license to stock and dispense oral morphine under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.

Important dates: In 2019 there will be two intakes for this training program. The first batch will start on 1st June and second batch in 1st November.

For details of the course, brochure for 2019 and application form, please follow this link: https://palliativecare.in/academics-2/

National Fellowship in Palliative Medicine and Palliative Nursing

Applications are invited for the one year National Fellowship in Palliative Medicine and National Fellowship in Palliative Nursing. This distance education program is conducted by Institute of Palliative Medicine, Kozhikode (WHO Collaboration Centre for Community Participation in Palliative Care and Long Term Care) with Christian Medical Association of India.

Important dates: Last date for issue of application form: 25th June 2019. Last date for submission of completed application forms: 30th June 2019.

For application and prospectus please follow this link http://cmai.org/wp-content/uploads/Data/NFPM_PROSPECTUS2019.pdf or email to nfpmacademics@gmail.com

Organising national workshop on AYUSH and Palliative care

IAPC proposes to organize a national workshop on AYUSH and Palliative Care soon. Details of the workshop will be uploaded on IAPC website.(http://www.pallliativecare.in)

Forthcoming Events

IAPC Annual Conference, IAPCON 2020, Guwahati

The 27th International Conference of Indian Association of Palliative Care is being organized in Guwahati. You are all cordially invited.

Dates: February 14, 15 & 16 of 2020.
Venue: GMCH Auditorium Complex, Assam.

For details, kindly log on to: iapcon2020.com

For donations to the IAPC, for further information write to nioiapc@gmail.com

Visit us at https://palliativecare.in/iapc-annual-conference-iapcon-2020/ and send your comments and queries.