Announcements / Messages from IAPC
IAPC’s Infographic of the month
The IAPC’s August Infographic focuses on the ‘General Myths of Palliative Care’.
This initiative reflects the IAPC’s constant endeavour to promote palliative care education and awareness across the country.
Please feel free to share this infographic within your networks. The same will be available on our social media platforms and also on our website. Please click here to access the same.
We thank Dr Wasimul Hoda (Assistant Professor, Department of Anesthesia, RIMS, Ranchi) for his enthusiasm and constant support towards this initiative.
Submissions invited for the IAPC’s ‘Pictures to Moments – Together for palliative care’
The IAPC invites submissions for its initiative ‘Pictures to Moments – Together for palliative care‘ to celebrate ‘World Photography Day’ (19th August, 2023).
This initiative has been themed, ‘Together for Palliative Care’ in observance of this year’s World Hospice and Palliative Care Day.
Once published the photos will be open for public voting. The top three individuals who receive the maximum votes will receive a certificate of appreciation and also have their photographs displayed during IAPCON 2024.
Don’t forget to submit entries before 5 p.m. on Sunday, 6th August, 2023.
Please click here for further information regarding the eligibility criteria and other guidelines.
The MoHFW, GOI, announces the inclusion of palliative care services in the Ayushman Bharat’s Health and Wellness Centers across the country
It is promising to learn that the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, has recognised the critical and imminent need for palliative care services across the country by announcing its inclusion into the Ayushman Bharat’s Health and Wellness Centres (AB-HWCs). This announcement comes in light of its biggest ever expansion of services.
Under the latest expansion spree, the Central government is adding services (screening, prevention, control & management of non-communicable diseases; care for common ophthalmic & ENT problems; basic oral health care; elderly and palliative health care services; emergency medical services; and screening and management of mental health ailments), expanding the list of essential medicines and diagnostics and creating a New cadre of Community Health Officers who will act as clinicians and public health managers and lead the team of Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA), Anganwadi Workers (AWW) and Auxiliary Nurse Midwifes (ANM).
The AB-HWCs were initiated in 2018, with an aim to deliver Comprehensive Primary Health Care services to address the community’s basic healthcare needs in their areas thereby covering even the marginalised sections of the community to make healthcare services available, accessible, universal and free. As of June 2023, a total of 1.6 lakh centers have registered over 178.87 crore beneficiaries availing services from the AM-HWC’s. Sources state the expansion to be completed across all centers by end August, 2023.
IAPCON 2024 Update: Last date for early bird registrations extended to 15th August, 2023
The organising committee of IAPCON 2024 has announced that the last date to avail the early bird registration offer has now been extended to Tuesday, 15th August, 2023.
The organising committee also urges everyone to grab this opportunity and make the best use of the extension to register for the upcoming 31st Annual International Conference of the Indian Association of Palliative Care (IAPCON).
The 2.5 day in-person conference will be organised at the Auditorium, Gujarat Cancer and Research Institute, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, between Friday, 9th February, 2024, and Sunday, 11th February, 2024. The Pre-conference workshops are slated for Thursday, 8th February, 2024.
IAPCON 2024 is themed ‘Revisiting the domains of Palliative Care’, as it aims to enhance the delegates’ practise of palliative care by empowering them with the various aspects in Palliative Care for both cancer and non-cancer patients. Scientific Sessions therefore will include sessions on Oncology, Neurology, Cardiology, Respiratory Medicine, Nephrology, Geriatric Care etc. Sessions will also include the nursing care plans, role of psychologist, volunteers, NGOs in providing palliative care, along with presentations on research methodology and scientific paper presentations.
Please visit the conference website for further information and to register for IAPCON 2024.
Submit entries before 5th August, 2023, to apply for ‘The CanKids National Childhood Cancer Excellence Awards 2023’
Cankids KidsCan is inviting entries before Saturday, 5th August, 2023, for their 15th Annual ‘The CanKids National Childhood Cancer Excellence Awards 2023’.
These awards were instituted to recognize the indomitable courage and bravery of children who have faced cancer or are still fighting the disease. They also advocate the ‘Right to Education’ for children with cancer during and after treatment. Additionally, the awards also recognize those who have excelled in academics as there are Excellence Awards offered at both National and Regional Levels.
Any Indian under the age of 30 years and who has survived childhood cancer or under the age of 21 years and is currently battling with cancer are eligible to apply for this award.
Please click here for further information about this and don’t forget to apply before Saturday, 5th August, 2023.
Register your WHPCD 2023 event with the WHPCA
The World Hospice and Palliative Care Day (WHPCD) is an annual unified day of action to celebrate and support hospice and palliative care around the world. The WHPCD this year will be observed on Saturday, 14th October, 2023, with the theme: Compassionate Communities: Together for Palliative Care.
The team at Worldwide Hospice Palliative Care Alliance (WHPCA) invites you to share your event on their global event map. Please click here to add your event to this year’s WHPCD event.
You can also click here to access and download the ‘WHPCD 2023 Toolkit’ which is rich in resources as it intends to support preparations for this year’s upcoming WHPCD. A webinar was held recently to discuss the toolkit in detail, provide advice on how one can maximise advocacy efforts on World Day and offer guidance on best communication practices for WHPCD campaign 2023. Please click here to view a recording of the webinar in case you missed it.
Please click here for further details about this year’s WHPCD Theme.
Join us for the IAPC and SMA Nirvana’s National multilingual edition of ‘Singing for the Stars’ at 2:50 p.m. on 9th August, 2023
The IAPC and the Shankar Mahadevan Academy Nirvana (SMA Nirvana) invite you to join us at 2:50 p.m. on Wednesday, 9th August, 2023, for a national multilingual edition of ‘Singing for the Stars’.
This edition of musical evening of harmonies is dedicated to our friends from across the country.
The evening of harmonies will be presented by Mr Subhadeep Das Chowdhury (Vocalist and Performing Artist). Mr Chowdhury will be presenting songs in Hindi and Bengali.
Don’t forget to join us at 2:50 p.m. on 9th August, 2023.
Update from the July event
The July edition of ‘Singing for the Stars’ which was to be held on Thursday, 13th July, 2023, was eventually held on Thursday, 20th July, 2023, due to unforeseen technical glitches moments before the program on Thursday, 13th July, 2023.
During the time from Thursday, 13th July, to Thursday, 20th July, the SMA Nirvana team worked tirelessly on the back end to ensure that the program on Thursday, 20th July, 2023, would be glitch free.
On the morning of Thursday, 20th July, 2023, everything was good to go. Once the program began we realised that we were losing sections of the songs. Thinking that there was some technical glitch again, the tech team immediately sprung into action only to figure out that the issue was because of severe internet fluctuations at the Artist’s city due to sudden and very heavy rains.
Our Artist for the day, Ms Trushna Oak (Singer, Performing Artist, Vocal training Coach) did try and presented 2-3 numbers which we were unfortunately unable to enjoy. We took a difficult decision to stop the program thereafter.
Our guest singers (in alphabetical order), Dr Latha (Jodhpur) and Mr Premchand Patwa (Jaipur) were then invited to present their songs for us. We thank them both for their enthusiastic participation.
Team IAPC and Team SMA Nirvana extend our sincere apologies for the unforeseen and uncontrollable issues during the program in July. We also take this opportunity to extend our thanks to all our friends who tuned in and stayed back to show support and understanding.
Please click here to watch a recording of this session.
Leverage the IAPC’s Social Media to stay connected!
The IAPC is inviting each of you to join the IAPC’s Social Media community to network and stay connected with the palliative care community, from India and beyond!
To get started, Follow / Like us on:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/palliativecare.in
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iapc-1994/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/iapcsecretary
The IAPC’s Careers page has been updated to reflect new vacancies from across the country
We invite you to visit the IAPC’s ‘View job vacancy’ page to view the recently updated vacancies in palliative care from across the country.
We request you to please also join us to improve the availability and access to palliative care by either sharing the details of vacancies at your center or by sharing the details of this platform with your colleagues to submit a vacancy from centers rendering palliative care services.
Call for Support: Your 2 minutes = Someone’s entire lifetime of Peace, Comfort and Dignity!
The IAPC requests you to spare just two minutes of your valuable time to submit / update the details of your palliative care services in the IAPC’s National Palliative Care Directory.
Steps to show your support:
- Please visit the IAPC’s National Palliative Care Directory and select the State from the drop down menu to check details of your center.
- If you need to add / update details of your center, then please visit the Submit/Update details of your PC center page on the IAPC website and submit the relevant details.
- After entering the relevant details, please click the ‘Submit’ button to record your responses.
Please do remember that your two minutes will make an invaluable difference in someone’s entire lifetime, as patients and caregivers, along with your colleagues will then have access to palliative care services when they need it the most!
Come on, donate your time to be a bridge in alleviating the suffering of our patients from across the country. Let no one be left behind!
Please click here for guidance on how to update your details.
‘Saath Saath Helpline’: India’s free palliative care helpline
Saath-Saath Helpline: 1800-202-7777, is the first of its kind National, Free-of-cost Palliative care helpline. The helpline offers non-judgmental listening services to palliative patients and their caregivers, or to a patient’s physician, and connects them to the nearest palliative care center.
The helpline has 26 partner organisations working across 17 States and Union territories viz; Maharashtra, Delhi, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Orissa, Punjab, Haryana, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Goa, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Kashmir and West Bengal. Volunteers from Tata Memorial Hospital (TMH) and Cipla Palliative Care and Training Centre (CPC) attend the calls in four shifts to either provide information, offer Psycho-emotional support or to refer the caller to a partner organisation.
The helpline provides service through call-in on a phone line and works 6 days a week (Mon-Sat), 10 am to 6 pm.
You can offer your support by informing patients about this helpline and refer those who are in need of such services.