Three Days at Alpha Hospice: Where Science Met Compassion

A report on WHPCD International Conference by IAPC & Alpha Palliative Care Centre

Dr Sanghamitra Bora, Secretary, IAPC

What does compassionate care look like when a patient is breathless, a caregiver is exhausted, or an urgent need arises at home? These questions found expression at the World Hospice and Palliative Care Day (WHPCD) International Conference, jointly organised by Indian Association of Palliative Care (IAPC) and Alpha Palliative Care at Edamuttam, Thrissur, from 9 – 11 October 2026.

The opening day connected delegates with the setting through hospice tours, the World Day Walkathon and discussions on compassionate communication and community participation. By evening, Kerala Kalamandalam’s Ente Keralam brought a cultural dimension to the gathering.

The conference was officially inaugurated on Day 2 by Sri O. J. Janish, Minister for Youth Affairs, Kerala, with Mr K M Noordeen (Chairman, Alpha Palliative Care) presiding.

Under the theme “Pain Management—An Essential Part of Palliative Care,” the plenary by Dr. Geeta Joshi (President, IAPC) positioned pain relief as a human right. Across three scientific halls, that principle met everyday clinical challenges. Dr. Vineeth Thilakan examined anticipatory medication access and frailty assessment, Dr. Sunil Kumar (Pallium India) explored the physical, psychological, social and spiritual dimensions of total pain. Dr. Raghu S. Thota (Editor, IJPC), addressed opioid stewardship, while Dr. Vineetha Rijju (Aster Medcity, Kochi) discussed breathlessness, delirium, nausea and vomiting. Dr. Praveen Kumar K. (Apollo Hospital, Hyderabad) and and Dr. Raju Veereswara (Sparsh Hospice, Hyderabad) widened the therapeutic lens through multimodal and non-pharmacological approaches.

A defining strength was the use of Malayalam for the large local audience. Drs. Sunil Kumar, Vinitha Rijju and Biju Raghavan delivered English-prepared sessions in Malayalam, allowing participants to appreciate the finer clinical nuances. Contributions from Linsa Selvaraj, K.M. Basheer and Salih Valancherry similarly made nursing, volunteering and caregiver burnout accessible through a familiar language.

The living-will panel led by Dr. Neil Deuchar and with inputs from Dr Sanghamitra Bora, (Secretary IAPC) and Dr. Jose Babu (Alpha Pallaitive Care) brought autonomy and dignity into focus. The following morning, Dr. Ann Elizabeth Martin, Elizabeth Lidya D’Silva and Dr. Neil Deuchar presented Alpha’s Palliative Emergency Response Unit. Prof. Geeta Menon explored bedside diagnostics and compassionate leadership.

Dr. Sanghamitra Bora addressed ethical dilemmas, Ms Anamika Pandey, Col. Yashvant Joshi and Mr Jithin Mathew contributed psychological, spiritual and rehabilitation perspectives. Sessions on non-cancer illness, dialysis, nutrition and the “Ashis Thrive” psychosocial pilot reinforced the breadth of palliative care. International contributions opened further avenues for shared learning.

The recognition of pioneers Gilly Burn and Dr. Dinesh Chandra Goswami offered a moment to connect these evolving approaches with the people who helped lay their foundations. Across the three days, a shared purpose linked clinical expertise, professional responsibility and community participation. At Alpha Hospice, compassion found expression in the questions science asked, the choices care respected, and the language through which knowledge reached those who needed it.

On behalf of Alpha Palliative Care, Mr K M Noordeen (Chairman of the Organising Committee and of Alpha Palliative Care) expressed heartfelt gratitude to IAPC for its partnership in making the International Conference a meaningful and successful event.

He said the scientific sessions were extremely well received by doctors, nurses, healthcare professionals and the large community of volunteers, and he thanked the IAPC faculty and delegates who travelled from across India and abroad to Edamuttam. He especially thanked Dr. Geeta Joshi (President, IAPC) for her guidance, noting that the conference would not have been possible at this scale and quality without the close partnership between IAPC and Alpha. He highlighted the teamwork behind the programme, which included nearly 4,000 students in the walkathon, ministers, MLAs and distinguished guests, and three halls running simultaneously, with students, staff, nurses, doctors and volunteers working tirelessly towards one common purpose. He concluded by expressing hope that this would be only the beginning of an even stronger partnership between IAPC and Alpha Palliative Care in the years ahead.