The year 2023 represents a significant milestone for the Asia Pacific Hospice Network (APHN), as we celebrated our 22nd Anniversary and renewed our collective efforts to expand hospice and palliative care in the region. To highlight our collaboration with renowned organizations, we engaged in various partnerships.
At the European Association of Palliative Care (EAPC) Conference 2023 (15th to 17th June), held in De Doelen, Rotterdam, we hosted the inaugural APHN-EAPC symposium. The delegation included Dr. Ednin Hamzah (Chair, APHN), Dr. Ghauri Aggarwal (Vice-chair, APHN), Mr. Giam Cheong Leong (ED, APHN), Dr. Yoshyuki Kizawa (Research Chair, APHN), Mr. Eric Finklestein (ED, LCPC-Duke NUS), Dr. Meera Agar (Chair, PCA), Dr. Seema Rao (Associate Director Karunashraya Inst.), and Dr. Cheng-Pei Lin (Associate Professor). Topics covered potential collaborations in Education, Research, ICU, Advance Care Planning, Quality of Death Index, IMPACCT Rapid Program, and the APPROACH study in the Asia Pacific region.
The 28th Congress of the Japanese Society for Palliative Medicine (JSPM) on June 30th extended an invitation to APHN to present an international track on our work in the Asia Pacific region. The presentation focused on the Past, Present, and Future collaboration between Japan and APHN. Notable presenters included Dr. Yoshyuki Kizawa (President of JSPM), Dr. Masanori Mori (Vice-chair APHN), Mr. Giam Cheong Leong, and Dr. Sayaka Takenouchi (Associate Professor). The presentation, covering APHN’s history with Japan, educational initiatives (Lien Collaborative), and research, received positive feedback, with many Japanese healthcare professionals expressing interest in potential collaborations. APHN also set up a booth at the Congress, attended by approximately 3000 participants, providing a platform to reconnect with old friends and reignite our passion for achieving palliative care equity in the region.
The 8th Singapore Palliative Care Conference (SPCC) 2023, held from July 1st to 4th, centered around the theme of “Building Collaborative Communities.” The conference aimed to promote the continuum of palliative care across disciplines in both inpatient and community settings. As part of the Lien Collaborative for Palliative Care (Lien Collab) Programme, a capacity-building initiative jointly developed by APHN and the Lien Foundation, 15 delegates from various Asia Pacific regions were sponsored to attend SPCC 2023. Delegates represented Australia, Bhutan, China, India, the Philippines, Sarawak, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Timor Leste. This sponsorship exemplifies the success of the APHN network in fostering collaborations, marking the second successful event with the Singapore Hospice Council.
Palliative Care Australia (PCA) organized the Oceanic Conference for Palliative Care from September 13th to 15th Sep 2023. APHN’s participation facilitated the sharing of our work, sparking discussions on potential future collaborations with PCA in conference organization, education, and research. APHN’s leadership, including Dr. Ednin Hamzah (Chair), Dr. Ghauri Aggarwal (Vice Chair), Mr. Wayne Naylor (Hospice New Zealand), and Mr. Giam Cheong Leong (ED, APHN), actively engaged in the well-organized Oceanic Conference, laying the groundwork for future collaborative initiatives.
The collaborative year concluded with the highly anticipated 15th Asia Pacific Hospice Palliative Care Conference (APHC) from October 4th to 7th, 2023. Hosted in Incheon, Korea, under the leadership and collaboration of the Korean Society for Hospice and Palliative Care (KSHPC) and the APHN, the 15th APHC witnessed the successful participation of over 1300 delegates from around the world. This biennial conference stands as a testament to the enduring success of the friendships and networks cultivated over the years. Read more here.
Written by Mr Giam Cheong Leong (APHN Executive Director)