Education and Training

Apply before 30th May, 2023, for the June batch of the IAPC’s ‘Certificate Course in Palliative Care for Volunteers’

Registrations are open for the second batch of the IAPC’s Certificate Course in Palliative Care for Volunteers (CCPCV) scheduled to be held in June 2023.

The course will be delivered in two components: a virtual and theoretical ‘Part A’, and an in-person practical ‘Part B’. Successful completion of both components of the course are mandatory to receive the course completion certificate.

The 16 hour ‘Part A’ of the course will be delivered as half day sessions between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. over 2 weekends in June: Saturday, 3rd June, Sunday, 4thJune, Saturday, 10th June, and Sunday 11th  June, 2023. 

Successfully completing the ‘Part A’ component of the course will permit candidates to proceed to the ‘Part B’ component of the program, a 16-hour observership in a palliative care unit.

Individuals who can commit, who have the time, and are willing to offer their services in palliative care facilities are requested to apply for the program as only 30 candidates can be accommodated per batch.

Please click here for further details about the program. Don’t forget to apply before Tuesday, 30th May, 2023, to register for the program.


27 candidates trained successfully via the IAPC’s ‘Course in the Physiotherapy – Palliative Care interface’ on 29th April, 2023

The third online batch of the IAPC’s Course in the Physiotherapy – Palliative Care interface’, was held successfully between 2 p.m. and 5:45 p.m. on Saturday, 29th April, 2023.

27 candidates (Physiotherapists, Doctors and Nurses) participated in the interactive program as they were empowered with knowledge on how physiotherapy complements the provisioning of quality palliative care. The half-day course sensitised and highlighted to the physiotherapists the palliative care needs of patients, and how they can contribute towards the rendering of holistic palliative care; while the doctors and nurses were sensitised about the benefits of integrating physiotherapy in their routine practice, so that every patient benefits from functional improvement and rehabilitation.

The half day interactive session was delivered by expert faculty from AIIMS, New Delhi, and the Cancer Institute, Chennai.


ELNEC India trains 20 Nurses from Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, to become ELNEC Trainers in Palliative Care Nursing

The End-of-Life Nursing Education Consortium (ELNEC) India, conducted a two-day ELNEC Train the Trainers program at the Kasturba Medical College (KMC), Manipal, on Tuesday, 4th April, 2023, and Wednesday, 5th April, 2023.     

The interactive and rich program was delivered by ELNEC’s expert Faculty, Sr Hanife MacGamwell (Nursing Education Coordinator, IAPC and ELNEC India), and Sr Sangeetha N (Nursing Tutor, Bangalore Hospice Trust – Karunashraya)

The Faculty shared that the 20 participants (representing different departments at KMC, Manipal) were brilliant as each of them displayed their unwavering commitment, knowledge and experience over the two days. The first day of the training was Faculty-led as they presented sessions on Advanced topics in palliative care with recent updates in palliative care nursing, while the second day of the program was participant-led with participants delivering lectures on pre assigned topics in palliative care. 

Sr Hanife and Sr Sangeetha share, “We are proud to mentor and work with this group of trainers who will take ELNEC to different corners, open hearts and turn minds of many nurses as they plant more and more seeds of Palliative Care to benefit many suffering patients and their families. We are grateful to Dr Naveen Salins (Associate Dean, Research, KMC, Manipal) for all his support, dedication and guidance without whom we could not have accomplished what we have”. They also extend their gratitude to Dr Suba Sooria (Chief Nursing Officer, KMC Manipal) for her strong support for the nursing staff and towards this program.


BHT – KIPCER organises a 10-day ToT program in palliative care for 15 Doctors from Odisha between 10th and 20th April, 2023

The Bangalore Hospice Trust – Karunashraya Institute for Palliative Care Education and Research (BHT-KIPCER) had organised a 10-day Training-of-Trainers (ToT) program at Karunashraya between Monday, 10th April, 2023, and Thursday, 20th April, 2023.

The 10-day interactive training program empowered the professionals with the concepts and principles to render quality Home based and Facility based palliative care. The training covered topics on assessment and management of symptoms, communication skills, end of life care, Spirituality etc.

This training is a part of an ongoing series of training for Doctors, Nurses, and Physiotherapists organized by the Odisha Government in collaboration with BHT-KIPCER.

One of the participants who underwent the training shares, “We enjoyed the sessions presented by both the in-house and guest Faculty. We learned about palliative care, its advantages and the importance of psychosocial aspects.”

BHT-KIPCER had also recently trained 10 Physiotherapists in March, 2023.


Shanti Palliative Care Center, Siliguri, in association with IAPC, sensitises 31 volunteers between 14th – 16th April, 2023

The Shanti Palliative Care Center, Siliguri, in association with the IAPC, organised their first ever volunteer training program in Siliguri, the northern part of West Bengal, between Friday, 14th April, 2023 and Sunday, 16th April, 2023.

The 2.5 day program was an in-person training program with a few faculty delivering lectures virtually. The program was conducted at the Loyola Pastoral College, Siliguri. The venue and the hospitality was offered pro bono by the Management of the Loyola Pastoral College, Siliguri, and Hayden Hall, Darjeeling.

The training program was attended by 31 participants which included a mix of volunteers, some of whom are already working in the field of Geriatrics, along with a few nursing students, community representatives, and a few who are affiliated with different churches in the region.

Dr Sushma Bhatnagar (President, IAPC) welcomed the gathering and delivered the inaugural address, post which National Faculty delivered sessions to empower the participants. Sessions were designed to focus and highlight the integral role of volunteers in provisioning quality palliative care, with each module equipping participants with necessary knowledge, attitude and skills needed to serve patients and their caregivers. Participants were also urged to form and deliver home care services in the resource challenged region. The training concluded with the sharing of experiences by a few faculty, designing the way forward for the first dedicated Palliative Care Unit in Siliguri along with a mechanism to expand the volunteer base in the region for maximum coverage.

The program was ably led by Dr Pankaj Chowdhary (Consultant Clinical Oncologist, Shanti Nursing Home; Palliative Care Physician), and Dr Ganpathy K V, PhD (Course coordinator, Volunteer Programs, IAPC; West Zone Central Council Member, IAPC; Clinical Psychologist).


NHM Telangana trains their in-service Doctors, Nurses, and Physiotherapists in palliative care between 27th March and 22nd April, 2023

The National Health Mission (NHM) Telangana, is continuing its efforts to establish District Palliative care centres across their State. To this end, the NHM Telangana, Department of Health and Family Welfare, Government of Telangana, has collaborated with the MNJ Institute of Oncology and Regional Cancer Center (MNJIORCC), and the Pain Relief and Palliative Care Society (PRPCS), Hyderabad, to offer its 16th batch of an in-person training program for its in-service Doctors, Nurses, and Physiotherapists.

These designated 9 Medical Officers (Doctors), 10 Staff Nurses and 8 Physiotherapists will undergo a one-month intense residential training in pain and palliative care, between Monday, 27th March, 2023, and Saturday, 22nd April, 2023, at the MNJIORCC and the PRPCS centers.

During this time, the designated candidates will work full time and rotate within the in-patient, out-patient and home care settings of MNJIORCC and PRPCS, so that they have the opportunity to participate and learn from day care services, bedside teaching, case based teaching, visit palliative centres in the rural areas and be exposed to pediatric palliative care.

The training program will also encompass teaching in assessment and management of symptoms, identifying psychological distress, communication skills, end of life care, mechanisms to procure opioids and obtaining a license, guidance on how to set up a palliative care unit, along with day-to-day assignments.

Post this training period, all participants will have to undertake an examination consisting of both theory and viva voce, to be eligible to receive their final certification. They will then be recruited to work in their respective District Palliative Care Centres. 


46 clinicians from across the country participate in the CTCs Refresher program in New Delhi, between 29th April and 1st May, 2023

The 2.5 day ‘Refresher Course’ of the 5th cohort’s Palliative Care Training Program aimed at Cancer Treatment Centers (CTC) in India, was attended by 46 clinicians from 14 centers across the country between Saturday, 29th April, 2023, and Monday, 1st May, 2023, at the Pride Plaza Hotel, Aerocity, New Delhi.

The in-person training program is being offered by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, the Asia Pacific Hospice Palliative Care Network (APHN) and the Lien Foundation. This program has the support of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), Government of India, as a part of India’s implementation of the National Program for Palliative Care (NPPC), which mandates for palliative care services to be available at all institutions dealing with cancer and non-communicable diseases.

This advanced training session is the third phase of training for these participants who have earlier participated in a 5-day in-person Foundation course at New Delhi in August 2022, followed by a 5-day in-person clinical posting at either AIIMS, New Delhi, or at the Kasturba Medical College and Hospital, Manipal, Karnataka, which was scheduled for between the end of 2022 and early 2023.

The power packed 2.5 day Refresher Course was led by a team of 14 expert Faculty from both within India and abroad, and included lectures, case based discussions, role plays and interactive workshops. An informative and interesting quiz was also included to facilitate interactive learning. Course participants also presented the progress they have made at their respective centers (eg.setting up PC units / departments, working towards a State Palliative Care Policy etc.) till date along with presenting lectures on key topics in palliative care.

Participants will continue to be mentored and hand held until the end of the program period in August, 2023.


AHPGIC, Cuttack, organises a sensitization program on ‘The Integration of palliative care in oncology’ on 29th March, 2023

The Acharya Harihar Post Graduate Institute of Cancer (AHPGIC), Cuttack, Odisha, had invited Dr Seema Rao (Associate Director, Education and Research, KIPCER, BHT – Karunashraya) to Cuttack, on Wednesday, 29th March, 2023, to deliver a session on ‘The Integration of palliative care in oncology’.

Around 50 healthcare professionals from AHPGIC participated in this very interactive and in-person session.

Dr Seema Rao in her presentation highlighted to the participants that palliative care is very much an integral part of cancer care. She detailed the importance and need for such integration and how one can achieve this integration between the two services. The mistaken belief / myth that palliative care is needed for only those patients who are in their last stage of their lives was also busted by Dr Seema Rao. She concluded her session by emphasising and urging professionals to make available this important service for all those who need such services irrespective of the stage of their illness.

Dr Seema Rao was felicitated by Dr Laltendu Sarangi (Director, AHPGIC) thereafter. 


NHM Arunachal Pradesh orients and sensitises various in-service stakeholders in the basics of palliative care on 31st March, 2023

It is so reassuring that the National Health Mission (NHM) Arunachal Pradesh continues its mission of sensitising the various in-service stakeholders from within their State.

An approx. 20 health care professionals, who included Medical Officers, Health and Wellness Officers, Physiotherapists and District Programme Managers, from Tirap district, Arunachal Pradesh, were oriented and sensitised in the basics of palliative care, at Khonsa on Friday, 31st March, 2023. This sensitisation activity was organised under the implementation of the National Program for Palliative Care (NPPC).

The one day, in-person sensitisation program was provided by Dr Tashi Chotton (State Nodal Officer, NPPC, Government of Arunachal Pradesh), Dr Palash Rakshit (Senior Medical Officer and District Program Officer, NPPC, Government of Arunachal Pradesh) as they oriented candidates with the basic principles and concepts in palliative care, and the role and importance of the various cadres in the district healthcare workforce towards successfully providing palliative care. 


CanSupport sensitises officials from the Delhi State Legal Services, in the basics of palliative care, on 30th March, 2023

CanSupport was invited by the District Legal Service Authority, New Delhi, to conduct a breast cancer awareness and palliative care sensitisation program for their staff at the District Court, Rohini, New Delhi, on Thursday, 30th March, 2023.

An approx. 30 Judges, Lawyers, and Ground Staff from the District Court participated in the session, which was presented by Dr Hasina Saikia (Palliative Care Physician, CanSupport), and Ms Ratna Jajoria (Senior Counsellor – Telephone Helpline; Cancer Survivor). The team from CanSupport sensitised the participants on early detection and prevention of common cancers, along with introducing them to the concept of palliative care.

The information rich session also turned interactive as participants began sharing their personal experiences while caring for cancer patients. The session was well received by the participants with them requesting for more such sessions in the future.


Update from IAPC Academy

Report on activities in April

4 superb lectures were presented in April as part of the IAPC Academy’s Online Lecture Series 6. Series 6 is designed to deliver a total of 35 lectures, which will be presented by students of MD and DNB in Palliative Medicine from across the country and moderated by a Faculty from their respective center.

The month began with an excellent presentation on ‘The palliative care needs of adults with intellectual disabilities‘, presented by Dr Isha Jatin Shah and moderated by Dr Jayita Deodhar. This was followed by a comprehensive presentation on Nutrition in Advanced and Terminal patients‘, presented by Dr Sanjeev Kumar and moderated by Dr Vinod Kumar. The third session for April, was an interesting presentation onPalliative care in malignant biliary tree obstruction presented by Dr Varun T M and moderated by Dr Raghu S Thota.  The sessions for the month concluded with Dr Bhawesh Pangaria’s riveting presentation onThe challenges and palliative care for patients with sialorrheawhich was moderated by Dr Anuja Pandit. 

We thank our speakers and the moderators for sharing their time and expertise to enrich the knowledge of the palliative care’s community.

Please click here to access the recordings of lectures conducted.

Sessions planned for May

We invite you to join us for the lectures scheduled for May from Series 6. Details below: