Announcements / Messages from IAPC

IAPC’s Infographic of the month: ‘Indications for Palliative Care in Humanitarian Settings’

The Indian Association of Palliative Care (IAPC) and the Palliative Care in Humanitarian Aid Situations and Emergencies (PallCHASE) have collaborated to bring out a special series of infographics focusing on palliative care in humanitarian situations. The collaboration will deliver a total of 8 infographics that will be published every quarter.

The May infographic will be the second in this series, focusing on the topic of ‘Indications for Palliative Care in Humanitarian Settings’.

This initiative reflects the shared vision of both the organizations to raise awareness and promote education on palliative care globally.

It will be available on social media platforms and websites of both the organisations. Please click here to access it on the IAPC website.

The first infographic in this collaborative series was released in February 2025, and with focus on the concept of ‘Palliative Care in Humanitarian Settings: A Bio-Psycho-Social-Spiritual Approach’.

We thank Dr Wasimul Hoda (Fellow in Pain Medicine, Department of Anaesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, AIIMS, New Delhi) for his invaluable support towards this initiative.

IAPCON 2026: Register Now for Early Bird & Combo Offers; Submit Pre-Conference Workshop Proposals by 30th May 2025

The organising team of the 33rd Annual International Conference of the Indian Association of Palliative Care (IAPCON 2026) is working diligently to offer the palliative care community an academic fiesta.

Dr Subrahmanyam Maddirala (Organising Chairperson, IAPCON 2026) and Dr Anjaneyulu Konda (Organising Secretary, IAPCON 2026), on behalf of the organising committee, encourage all IAPC members to register by Thursday, 31st July, 2025, to avail the early bird registration offer.

Additionally, the organising team has announced ‘Combo Offers’ for those interested in becoming members of the IAPC while registering for the conference, at a reduced rate. Please click here for more details.

Please note that registrations for pre-conference workshops must be completed separately.

The Scientific Committee led by Dr Praneeth Suvvari (Chairperson, Scientific Committee, IAPCON 2026) has announced a call for proposals for Pre-Conference Workshops. The deadline for submission is Friday, 30th May, 2025. Please click here for further details.

The theme of IAPCON 2026, the scientific fiesta, is ‘Continuum of Care: Hospital, Hospice, and Home’. The conference will be held at National Institute for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprise (NI-MSME), Hyderabad, Telangana, between Friday, 13th February, 2026, and Sunday, 15th February 2026. Pre-conference workshops are scheduled for Thursday, 12th February, 2026.

IAPCON 2026 is being jointly organised by Sparsh Hospice – Centre for Palliative Care, Hyderabad, and the Basavatarakam Indo American Cancer Hospital and Research Institute, Hyderabad. Please click here to visit the conference website for further information.

Mark your calendars for the Inaugural Conference of the West Bengal Chapter of IAPC, Sunday, 9th November, 2025, at Tata Medical Center, Kolkata

We are excited to announce the inaugural conference of the West Bengal chapter of the Indian Association of Palliative Care (IAPC). This landmark event will take place on Sunday, 9th November 2025, at the auditorium of Tata Medical Center, Kolkata.

In addition to the main conference, three pre-conference workshops will be held on Saturday, 8th November 2025, across three prestigious cancer hospitals in Kolkata: Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute (CNCI), Saroj Gupta Cancer Centre & Research Institute (SGCCRI), and Tata Medical Center (TMC).

The organising team of the conference expects participation from approximately 150 delegates, bringing together professionals from across the region to share knowledge and discuss key developments in palliative care. Prof (Dr.) Shyamal Sarkar (President, IAPC WB Chapter), Dr. Debasish Jatua, (Secretary, IAPC WB Chapter, and Dr. Rudranil Nandi (IAPC EC member, East Region) share that the conference organizing committee has been constituted and preparations are well underway for this academic event.

Stay tuned for more details and registration information in the coming months.

“Capture a Moment, Tell a Story” – A Special Initiative by IAPC & APM for International Nurses Day 2025: Inviting Photography Submissions from Nurses

To commemorate International Nurses Day (Monday, 12th May 2025), the Indian Association of Palliative Medicine (IAPC) and the Academy of Palliative Medicine (APM), a constituent body of IAPC, proudly launch a unique initiative titled ‘Capture a Moment, Tell a Story.’

We invite palliative care nurses to participate in this special initiative for self-care — to take a moment to enjoy, honour, and celebrate yourselves, the true heroes, through the power of photography.

Nurses are encouraged to submit photographs clicked using either a mobile phone or a DSLR camera.

Submission deadline: Monday, 5th May 2025.

Awards and recognitions await selected entries!

Click here for full details, including the photography competition theme and instructions for submission.

Call for Commendations from Doctors: Celebrate Our Nurses!

On the occasion of International Nurses Day 2025, Indian Association of Palliative care (IAPC) and the Academy of Palliative Medicine (APM), a constituent body of IAPC, invite doctors to share a special tribute to an exceptional nurse from their department, someone who truly embodies the spirit of palliative care.

How you can participate:

Submit a brief write-up (around 250 words) highlighting what makes the nurse special, with an example.

Include a heartfelt line or two as an ode to their work.

Attach a good-quality photo (with the nurse’s consent).

Selected tributes will be featured on the APM website to honour and inspire others.

Submission Details: Email your entry to apm.iapc@gmail.com.

Deadline: 10 AM on Saturday, 10th May, 2025.

Let’s come together to celebrate the dedication, compassion, and strength of our nursing colleagues!

Please click here for details.

Mapping Progress: Landmark Asia Pacific Atlas Launched

At the 16th Asia Pacific Hospice Palliative Care Conference (APHC 2025) held in Kuching, Malaysia, between 23rd and 26th April, 2025, the Asia Pacific Hospice Palliative Care Network (APHN) unveiled the Asia Pacific Atlas of Palliative Care. This comprehensive new resource provides an updated and systematic overview of palliative care development across more than 40 countries and regions, including India.

Created under the guidance of the WHO Indicators for Palliative Care Development and led by the ATLANTES Research Group at the Institute for Culture and Society (ICS) at the University of Navarra, in collaboration with APHN, this Atlas highlights key advances in palliative care as well as significant gaps across the region.

Serving as an invaluable tool for advocates, healthcare professionals, and policymakers, the Asia Pacific Atlas of Palliative Care marks a crucial step toward better understanding and improving palliative care throughout the Asia Pacific region.

Please click here to download the Atlas

Tune in at 2:55 p.m. on 21st May, 2025, for a special edition of ‘Singing for the Stars’

The IAPC and the Shankar Mahadevan Academy (SMA) Nirvana invite you to join us at 2:55 p.m. on Wednesday, 21st May, 2025, for a national multilingual edition of ‘Singing for the Stars’. This edition of the program is dedicated to our friends from across the country.

The upcoming concert for Singing for the Stars will be presented by Ms Silpamudra Jagadev, a Vocalist and Performing artist. She also serves as a Music educator at Shankar Mahadevan Academy (SMA) Nirvana.

The program will be presented online via zoom platform.

Zoom link to join the program: https://shankarmahadevanacademy.zoom.us/j/98423168521?pwd=L89P423vhkQEXYEtVGwaazcNdjYn18.1

Meeting ID: 984 2316 8521
Passcode: 724227

‘Singing for the Stars’: Update from the April 2025 event

The April 2025 edition of the ‘Singing for the Stars’, was held at 3.00 p.m. of Tuesday, 22nd April, 2025

The unforgettable virtual program of soulful harmonies was brought to life by a live band from the Mumbai centre of the Inspire India Project, a beautiful initiative by Shankar Mahadevan Academy, a not-for-profit trust dedicated to offering free music education to children.

Our cherished singer, Ms. Rajni Yadre, joined the team at the studio to grace the event with her presence.  It was a moment of deep significance, one that had been long awaited. Despite facing immense physical challenges, Ms. Rajni’s unwavering spirit shone through as she sang, touching the hearts of everyone. With grace and strength, she dedicated her song to all the stars. For those who, like her, demonstrate resilience in the face of adversity, overcoming life’s most difficult journeys.

Team IAPC and Team SMA Nirvana take this opportunity to extend our gratitude to all those who joined us and for spreading smiles during the show.

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

New vacancies from across the country now published in the IAPC’s Careers page

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.

Details of current vacancies are:

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:

  1. Please visit the IAPC’s National Palliative Care Directory and select the State from the drop down menu to check details of your center.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.