From the President’s Desk
Dear friends,
As we move into February, I’m happy to share some important news that shows collective commitment and steady growth of the Indian Association of Palliative Care.
In this new year, new course directors have taken up the responsibility of running our educational programs. They will be building up on our strong foundations with innovative ideas. I want to thank the Academic Review Committee for their help with this transition. This January, a new cohort of the Foundation Course in Essentials of Palliative Care (FCEPC) got off to a strong start, with students from diverse regions joining the program. I want to express my sincere thanks to Dr. Lulu Mathews (former Chairperson, FCEPC) and all the course coordinators and faculty for their hard work, commitment, and guidance. They ensured that this course is of high quality and relevant.
In January, RMD Speciality Hospitals hosted the Second National Conference on Geriatrics, Oncology, and Palliative Care, GERIPALCON 2026. The IAPC was the academic partner of this conference. This was a big step forward towards partnerships. Participants from different fields engaged in meaningful conversations at the conference. It brought together doctors, policymakers, teachers, and researchers on delivering integrated care in a society that is ageing. We have included a comprehensive report and pictures from the conference in this February Edition of our newsletter.
The preparations of IAPCON are in their final stages. The organising and scientific teams are working diligently to make sure that the conference is academically strong and addresses the evolving needs of palliative care in India. I invite you all to join the ‘Treat with Care’ theatre performance, on 12th February at Basavatarakam Indo American Cancer Hospital, Hyderabad. With novel ideas such as ‘silent conference’ and app-based support, I am sure IAPCON 2026 will be a great success. I urge all members to pay close attention to the upcoming announcements and to actively participate in the upcoming IAPCON 2026.
I am excited to share the launch of a new program by the IAPC to support palliative care providers in conducting clinical audits, thereby enhancing the quality of their programs. As palliative care services expand across the country, improving the quality of care has become a top priority. The goal of this structured program is to help multidisciplinary teams plan and carry out clinical audit cycles in a systematic way. The initiative aims to strengthen institutional capacity over the long term and to foster a culture of continuous quality improvement across all areas of care. Further details will be shared shortly, and I encourage all interested centres to consider participating.
Once again, I want to thank all of our members, faculty, collaborators, and partners for their trust and support in IAPC. Looking forward to seeing you at IAPCON 2026 in Hyderabad!
With warm regards,
Dr. Geeta Joshi
President
Indian Association of Palliative Care (IAPC)