August 2022
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Queen’s University and Pallium India Announce Partnership
Queen’s Global Oncology, Queen’s University, Kingston, Canada and Pallium India have formalized their long-standing partnership to improve palliative care services in India through education, research, and policy initiatives.
The partnership between Queen’s University and Pallium India began in 2016, when Queen’s oncologist, Dr. Christopher Booth, travelled to Kerala, India for a six-month sabbatical. After meeting the Founder and Chairman of Pallium India, Dr. M.R. Rajagopal, Dr. Booth was determined to foster a collaboration between Queen’s and Pallium. This partnership has continued to grow and expand, with support from the Pallium India team and members of the Global Oncology team within the School of Medicine’s Department of Oncology at Queen’s Health Sciences.
If you missed the event, watch the recording here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkprLsbdcpg
In this edition of the newsletter, read about…
Opioid Availability Workshop and other developments in Puducherry
Essential Narcotic Drugs workshop at Chhattisgarh
Akshaybhasha’s dance program to support Pallium India
Call for Advocacy Partnerships in Palliative Care
Upcoming Trainings, Events and Conferences
Career Openings at Pallium India, EIPC Kolkata & NNRC Coimbatore
Scroll down…
DONATE & SUPPORT FLOOD RELIEF FOR CACHAR | Milaap
No amount is too small – please donate and support the flood relief activities of Cachar Cancer Centre, Silchar, Assam.
A prescription from Kerala for transforming healthcare
“Most doctors, active people who are pressed for time and who like to fix things, are better at talking than listening. Listening seems horribly passive,” writes Richard Smith.
“M R Rajagopal (know to all as Raj) is an internationally renowned Indian anaesthetist and palliative care physician who is one of the founders of a system of palliative care in Kerala that is admired the world over.
“The Lancet Commission on the Value of Death (of which Raj and I were members) said that societies everywhere could learn from the Kerala innovation, which is a system led by the community with health professionals as supporters rather than leaders. Raj has now published his readable, insightful—and at times funny—autobiography, Walk with the Weary: Lessons in humanity in healthcare, which is both a severe critique of modern healthcare and a prescription for transformation.”
‘Walk with the Weary’ is currently available on Amazon.in, Flipkart and Notion Press store.
If you are in the US or the UK, please visit: Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk.
If you are in Australia, here is how you can get a copy of the book via our friends at Australasian Palliative Link International (APLI).
Publisher: Notion Press (February 2, 2022)
Language: English
Paperback: 242 pages/Kindle
ISBN: 979-8885559416
All proceeds from the sale of the book will go towards providing palliative care to people who desperately need it but have no access to it.
Click here to know more about “Walk with the Weary” by Dr M R Rajagopal and to get your copy.
Write to: info@palliumindia.org
Opioid Availability Workshop and other developments in Puducherry
Union Territory of Puducherry has laid highest priority to health and strives to provide quality care at all three levels of mainstream healthcare. However, access to pain relief and palliative care remains a challenge as the government has to prioritize the available limited resources. Addressing the need for quality palliative care in the union territory, Pallium India and Aarupadai Veedu Medical College & Hospital in association with Department of Drugs Control, Puducherry conducted an “Opioid Availability” workshop for palliative care professionals, drug vendors and pharmacists of medical institutions in Puducherry. This workshop shed light on the operational procedures to ensure implementation of the amended NDPS rules 2015 so as to have uninterrupted access to pain relief in the union territory.
In the presence of the Drugs Controller Dr E Anandakirouchenane, Dr P F Kotur (Dean-AVMC), Dr Rajagopal (Chairman, Pallium India), Officials of department of drugs control, representatives from association of druggists & chemists (Puducherry), and other department heads of AVMC; the workshop started with the welcome address of Dr P F Kotur.
Dr Rajagopal, in his inaugural address, stressed the need for pain relief in palliative care and the significance of principle of balance. He highlighted the need of local availability of Essential Narcotic Drugs to have an uninterrupted supply to the vendors and meet the demand of the medical institutes. Dr Rajagopal presented the case study of Kerala and the importance of the accountability of RMIs to avoid the opioid misuse.
The Drugs Controller presented the keynote address specifying the challenges and current scenario in Puducherry with regards to purchasing/dispensing opioids for medical purpose. He talked about NDPS Amendment Act in detail and the application process to obtain the recognized medical institution status. It was commendable to note that Drugs controller talked from a facilitator perspective than from an enforcement authority sharing the responsibility that stakeholders have to alleviate pain relief of the suffering patients. There was an interactive Q&A session with drugs controller and Dr Rajagopal where drug vendors shared the logistical challenges of procuring opioids and medical institutes asked about the documentation required for smooth drug availability.
The workshop was successfully completed with high participation from drug vendors, retailers, medical institutes, and palliative care professionals (134 people). It was first of its kind event in the union territory where all the stakeholders came together under one roof to discuss the challenges and find solutions for easy opioid availability for medical use and safe usage of the same. Drugs controller suggested that a stakeholder network would be created out of this workshop and similar meetings can be conducted in the future.
Pallium India takes this opportunity to thank the Govt. of Puducherry, Controlling authority Dr E Anandakirouchenane, Association of druggists & chemists association, and AVMC college for making this happen.
(Report prepared by State Facilitation team, Pallium India)
Make them smile – send us toys!
These are what we’re looking for: colouring books, colour pencils, crayons, sketch pens, soft toys.
But please do speak to us before you send anything:
085899 98761 / 097467 45497 / info@palliumindia.org
Courses / Conferences / Events
6 weeks Certificate Course for doctors and nurses (CCPPM & CCPN) – at Trivandrum
Pallium India invites doctors and nurses to join this six weeks course in pain management and palliative care, at Trivandrum.
Start Date: 5 September 2022 (Monday)
Six weeks’ “Hands-on” Certificate Course in Pain & Palliative Medicine (CCPPM)
Objective: To enable participants to gain practical “hands-on” training in pain and palliative medicine supplemented by theoretical background.
Eligibility: M.B.B.S or BDS with permanent registration with medical / dental council.
Six weeks’ “Hands-on” Certificate Course in Palliative Nursing (CCPN)
Objective: To enable participants to gain practical “hands-on” training in palliative care nursing supplemented by theoretical background.
Eligibility: Any nurse holding a recognised degree or certificate in nursing and interested in palliative care is eligible to do the course.
Know more and register now for CCPPM or CCPN: https://palliumindia.org/2022/07/ccppm-ccpn-sep5
1 August 2022
Online Foundation Course in Palliative Nursing (FCPN) -English
Classes Scheduled: 18 Sessions (2 sessions per week)
Day of the week: Mondays & Thursdays
Start Date: 1 August 2022 (Monday)
End Date: 17 October 2022 (Monday)
Class Timing: 3:00 PM – 4:30 PM
Where: ZOOM Online
24 August 2022
Online Foundation Course in Palliative Care (FCPC) -English
Classes Scheduled: 16 Sessions (2 sessions per week)
Day of the week: Wednesdays & Fridays
Start Date: 24 August 2022 (Wednesday)
End Date: 28 October 2022 (Friday)
Class Timing: 3:00 PM – 4:30 PM
Where: ZOOM Online
12 September 2022
Online Foundation Course in Palliative Medicine (FCPM) -English
Classes Scheduled: 20 Sessions (3 sessions per week)
Day of the week: Mon, Wed & Fri
Start Date: 12 September 2022 (Monday)
End Date: 2 November 2022 (Friday)
Class Timing: 5:00 PM – 6:30 PM
Where: ZOOM Online
World Hospice and Palliative Care Day (WHPCD)
World Hospice and Palliative Care Day is an annual unified day of action to celebrate and support hospice and palliative care around the world.
With one voice, we will celebrate the importance of palliative care to quality of life, and advocate for equitable access for all.
The WHPCD theme for 2022: Healing Hearts and Communities
The experience of grief and the need to heal unites humans worldwide. With more than six million deaths worldwide during the COVID-19 pandemic resulting in tremendous strain on healthcare systems and unprecedented grief and suffering for health workers and caregivers. In addition, several conflicts and wars are taking place around the globe, resulting in millions of families and caregivers grieving the deaths of family and friends, experiencing social isolation and property destruction.
Read more about World Hospice and Palliative Care Day 2022 >> http://thewhpca.org/world-hospice-and-palliative-care-day/about
Palliative Care Works (PCW) announces a virtual conference on 8th October 2022
Michael Minton (trustee) writes on behalf of Palliative Care Works (PCW):
PCW is a UK based charity focusing on support (training & mentoring) in the development of Palliative Care (PC) in low and middle income countries.
As a consequence of the pandemic, teaching and training of palliative care has had to resort to a virtual platform. As it happens the new technology has been a great resource but what is the learning experience for students and the challenges for presenters? Can one undertake successful mentoring using only distance learning? These issues form the theme for our conference this year.
We have continued with a virtual presentation as this provides a world wide audience but the value of networking is lost. The conference will discuss ideas and consequences for the future.
Register via PCW website: https://palliativecareworks.org/
IAPCON 2023 Bengaluru
The 30th Annual International Conference (IAPCON 2023) of Indian Association of Palliative Care will be a physical conference held at Bengaluru, Karnataka, organized by Karunashraya.
Dates of event: 10-12 February, 2023
Pre-conference workshops: 9 February, 2023.
The theme of IAPCON 2023 is: ‘Metamorphosis: The emergence of Subspeciality Palliative Medicine’.
Please visit the conference website for further details.
7th International African Palliative Care Conference
24-26 AUGUST 2022
Click here to know more: https://www.africanpalliativecare.org/conference/
The McGill International Congress on Palliative Care: Oct 18-21, 2022.
McGill University’s International Congress on Palliative Care is the longest running congress for this field. Founded in 1976 by Dr. Balfour Mount and his colleagues, it is now organized and hosted biennially by Palliative Care McGill.
Visit the conference website: https://www.mcgill.ca/palliativecare/congress
3rd Annual U.S. Celebration of World Hospice & Palliative Care Day: A Virtual Coming Together
Access to palliative care is a right to the highest standard of health and an integral component of universal health coverage for patients with cancer and other serious illnesses.
This innovative 2-day virtual conference is a U.S.-based “coming together” that strives to foster community building and wisdom sharing. A multidisciplinary group of palliative care leaders at the forefront of research, policy, and clinical practice will present on diverse topics, including dignity in care, racism and structural discrimination, and care for historically excluded populations. Register: https://www.mskcc.org/whpcd
****Palliative care professionals residing in low and middle income countries, as well as palliative care students and trainees currently enrolled in a university program or completing a clinical fellowship or residency, are eligible for complimentary registration by emailing uswhapcday@mskcc.org.****
Check out upcoming trainings and important days: https://palliumindia.org/events
Contact: info@palliumindia.org
Video of the Month
Rima Pande in conversation with Dr Rajagopal
Rima Pande, author of “His Voice”, in conversation with Dr M R Rajagopal, Chairman of Pallium India & author of “Walk with the Weary: Lessons in humanity in healthcare”, at Crossword Bookstore, Lulu Mall, Trivandrum on 12th July 2022.
Click here to watch: https://youtu.be/T0qAz_MnPqo
Subscribe to Pallium India’s youtube channel for videos related to palliative care and our activities. You can watch previous webinars and training sessions, as well as listen to caregivers, survivors and others sharing their experiences.
CME: Getting comfortable with Essential Narcotic Drugs at Chhattisgarh
The importance of pain management is known only to people who have gone through severe pain. You may not find it easy to believe this, but modern pain management got into MBBS curriculum only a few years back. Doctors and hospital administrators do not yet know how to procure opioids, how to stock and dispense them safely. Nor do healthcare administrators.
Dr Shilpa Khanna from Sangwari in Chhattisgarh, having initiated palliative care services reaching out to the community, decided to sensitize medical professionals on the matter. On the 7th of July 2022, from 12 noon to 3pm she coordinated a hybrid event organized by the Department of Anaesthesia in collaboration with Department of Medicine and Department of Paediatrics of Rajmata Srimati Devendra Kumari Singhdeo Government Medical College, Ambikapur. This is being followed by extensive hand-holding and trouble-shooting on practical issues in smaller groups.
The 126 attendees included the Dean, Medical Superintendent, heads of Paediatrics and Gynaecology, senior faculty, senior residents, junior residents of various clinical and non-clinical departments, nurses in charge of OPD, IPD, OT and ICU, central store in charge, pharmacists, dietician and hospital management consultants and and final year MBBS students. So important: to sensitise all categories of stakeholders.
Thank you Sangwari, for allowing Pallium India to walk with you, both in this CME program and in the work in Chhattisgarh.
Akshaybhasha supports Pallium India
Call for Advocacy Partnerships in Palliative Care
The International Association for Hospice and Palliative Care (IAHPC) has invited applications from institutions for a grant for advocacy and partnerships to support palliative care organizations to build capacity and constructive partnerships.
Preference will be given to national palliative care associations or transnational organisations that represent palliative care workers/patients and caregivers and institutions located in Low- and Middle-Income countries.
Deadline to apply: August 30, 2022
More information: IAHPC Advocacy and Partnerships Development (APAD) Program
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Contact us: info@palliumindia.org / 97467 45497
OPENINGS
Doctor at Eastern India Palliative Care (EIPC), Kolkata
Palliative Care Nurse at EIPC, Kolkata
Junior Staff Nurse, at NNRC ELCA, Coimbatore
Junior Medical Officer at NNRC, ELCA, Coimbatore
Openings at Pallium India, Trivandrum
Pediatric Palliative Care Physician
VISIT OUR CAREERS PAGE:
https://palliumindia.org/category/career
In case of queries, please write to us: career@palliumindia.org
Patients and families from anywhere in India can call Pallium India’s Telehealth helpline. Health care professionals who need advice on palliative care or pain management can call our numbers.
The service is FREE and available in English, Hindi, Malayalam and Tamil.
Our lines are open from Monday to Saturday 9:30 a.m. to 4pm
Call: +91 964 588 4889 / +91 860 688 4889
In case of queries, please write to us: info@palliumindia.org
Pallium India maintains a state-wise directory of institutions offering palliative care services in India. The list includes palliative care providers from community-based organisations to tertiary care institutions and cancer care centers.
The directory covers critical information like contact details including phone numbers and email addresses, availability of In-patient, Out-patient and home care services, availability of morphine, etc.
If anyone you know needs palliative care support, our directory will help you find the centre closest to you. Do take a look at Pallium India’s Palliative Care Directory and let us know (Email: info@palliumindia.org or Contact us) if any centre near you is missing.
Click here to donate to Pallium India and lend a hand to our activities.
Donations from US can be made online on http://palliumindiausa.org/
For DOMESTIC Transfer:
Beneficiary: Pallium India Trust
Account No: 30086491915
State Bank of India
Branch: Pattom, Trivandrum
IFS Code: SBIN0003355
MICR No: 695002007
For FOREIGN donations:
Account Name: Pallium India Trust
Bank: State Bank of India (code: 00691)
Branch: Delhi
Account No: 40098265669
IFSC Code: SBIN0000691
SWIFT Code: SBININBB104
Queries? Write to info@palliumindia.org or call 97467 45504
After you make a donation, please write to us at donations@palliumindia.org for the receipt. Kindly provide your name, PAN number, contact number and address for us to issue the receipt.
Follow us for palliative care news, views and updates – as & when they happen
SAHAYATRA
Sahayatra, Pallium India’s monthly print magazine in Malayalam, is meant for anyone interested in Palliative Care – patients, families, palliative care professionals, volunteers and well-wishers.
Yearly subscription rate for Sahayatra is ₹200. (Only ₹500 if you subscribe for three years.) However, we send Sahayatra free of cost to patients and their families.
To subscribe to Sahayatra monthly magazine, please send your complete postal address to info@palliumindia.org. Contact: 97467 45504
Read previous issues of Sahayatra online: https://palliumindia.org/sahayatra
PARTING SHOT
Drugs control authority “facilitates more than controls”
Dr Ananda Kirouchenane, who took over as the Drugs Control Authority of the Union Territory of Puducherry, delighted all palliative care professionals and activists with his words “My role will be to facilitate more than control.”
Aarupadai Veedu Medical College & Hospital (AVMC) had taken the lead to organise the event with Pallium India. Dr Ananda Kirouchenane ensured that all needed stakeholders were present, including drug inspectors and representatives of the pharma industry.
Together we discussed the intricacies of the amended NDPS Act of India and the relevant rules, and formulated ways of moving forward. So many institutions in Puducherry came together to make this happen.
Thank you for reading our newsletter. Read previous issues here
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