From the President’s Desk

Dr. Sushma Bhatnagar

Hello Friends,

I am writing this note with a heavy heart! We all at IAPC are deeply saddened by the demise of Dr. Subathra Muthukumaran, a dear friend and colleague. Dr. Subathra, a compassionate Palliative Care Physician from Chennai, had dedicated her life to the service of suffering fellow beings for more than 18 years. I also got the blessing to meet Subathra during Palliative Care conferences and faculty meetings. She had contributed a lot to IAPC’s academic programs as a National Faculty. We at IAPC profoundly mourn the loss of our dear friend. May the ever-smiling face of Dr. Subathra always shine in our memories.

IAPC’s in-person Central Council meeting was held in Delhi on 25th and 26th of November, 2023. In-person meetings always facilitate more open and honest communication. The outcome of such a discussion is in-depth analysis and brilliant ideas. The Central Council meeting also yielded these results. I urge you to go through the important decisions taken in the IAPC’s Central Council meeting in the ‘Announcements/ Messages from the IAPC‘ section of this newsletter.

IAPC’s Annual General Body meeting is slated to be held at the Gujarat Cancer and Research Institute (GCRI), on 10th February, 2024 (Day 2 of IAPCON 2024). I urge you all to read the Notice of AGBM published in the ‘Announcements/ Messages from IAPC’ section of this newsletter.

IAPC’s election notification has also been published in the same section of this newsletter. All IAPC members are requested to participate in the AGBM and interested members are welcome to submit their nominations before 5 p.m. on 15th December, 2023.

The IAPC’s Infographic for December 2023 focuses on the concept of ‘Multidisciplinary Team in Palliative Care’. Please click here to view the infographic. I request that you share and circulate this infographic within your networks.

I am glad to share that the 8th online batch of the very popular training program, ‘IAPC’s Certificate Course in Essentials of Palliative Care’, a basic training program for Doctors and Nurses has been scheduled to be held in January 2024. Applications are invited for the training from eligible candidates. I invite you to read the ‘Education and Training‘ section of this newsletter for further details.

The 4th online batch of’ IAPC’s Certificate Course in Physiotherapy and Palliative Care Interface’ and ‘Certificate Course in Managing Psychosocial Issues of Patients with Chronic Illness in Palliative Care Settings’ will be held in December 2023. IAPC is indebted to course chairs, coordinators, and faculty for their dedication, commitment, and continued support towards organising these academic programs. 

Thirty enthusiastic candidates were trained in the 3rd online batch of the ‘IAPC’s Certificate Course in Palliative Care for Volunteers’, conducted successfully in November 2023. Congratulations to all participants for successfully completing their training.

Congratulations to each of our colleagues who have been recognised for their achievements or for having surpassed important milestones. Please visit the ‘Awards and Recognition’ section of this newsletter to celebrate the achievements and awards.

I thank and congratulate the contributors for their support towards this month’s ‘IAPC’s Exclusive Articles’. I invite you to read the articles from this month:

Most importantly, I urge you to go through a few important announcements from the organisers of IAPCON 2024, published in the ‘Announcements/Messages from IAPC’ section of this newsletter. Please click here to visit the conference website and register for IAPCON 2024. Don’t miss this opportunity to meet your colleagues and friends and to participate in the much-awaited academic fiesta.

With warm regards,

Dr. Sushma Bhatnagar
President, IAPC