From 25–28 August 2025, the 7th Foundation Course of the Cancer Treatment Centre (CTC) Training Programme (India) and the first-ever National CTC Alumni Meet took place at Taj Vivanta Dwarka, New Delhi. The four-day event brought together healthcare professionals, educators, and alumni dedicated to advancing palliative care across India.
7th CTC Foundation Course
The7th CTC Foundation Course took place from 25-27 August 2025 and included 48 doctors and nurses from 13 centers across India, supported by an expert faculty and project management team of 22 members. The training began with a pre-course faculty meeting on 24 August, in the hotel’s ‘Nucleus’ hall. During this meeting, faculty members reviewed the schedule and finalised presentation plans.
Day 1 (August 25, 2025): Following registration, the day began with an ice-breaker session and welcome from Dr Sushma Bhatnagar and Dr Anjum Joad. Participants completed a mandatory pre-test and were introduced to the vision of the Lien Collaborative for Palliative Care and the principles of palliative care. The day’s focus was on cancer pain management, opioid use, non-pharmacological interventions, and ethical considerations, as well as leadership and team-building skills. The “camel building team activity” was one of the interactive sessions that kept participants engaged. The day ended with a faculty debrief to review the sessions and prepare for the next day.
Day 2 (August 26, 2025): The second day opened with a recap of Day 1 by Dr Vidya Viswanath. Sessions focused on symptom management and multidisciplinary approaches, including topics like delirium, dyspnea, fatigue, nausea, and pediatric palliative care. The curriculum also covered psychosocial and spiritual concerns, advanced care planning, and caregiver well-being. Interactive workshops, including a role-play session by the Nurse Faculty, provided hands-on learning.
Day 3 (August 27, 2025): The final day started with a recap of the previous day’s sessions by Dr Naveen Salins. The day emphasised integrating palliative care into oncology practice, with sessions on home-based care, morphine access, and managing end-of-life symptoms. A key highlight was the “Way Forward” session, where teams presented their 3-6 month goals for improving palliative care services at their institutions. Before closing, participants completed a mandatory online post-test and provided feedback. The course concluded with a gala dinner that brought together participants, faculty, and alumni for an evening of networking and celebration.
The National Alumni Meet
The first-ever National CTC Alumni Meet was held on 28 August 2025. It was themed “Advancing Palliative Care Capacity in India: Building Networks for a Sustainable Future” and was attended by 78 alumni from 41 centers across India, along with over 150 total participants.
The event kicked off with a welcome and an outline of objectives by Dr Sushma Bhatnagar, Dr Naveen Salins, Dr Ghauri Aggarwal, Dr Shirlynn Ho, and Mr Giam Cheong Leong. Alumni presentations showcased success stories, innovations, and best practices from their respective institutions, highlighting the program’s impact and the challenges of implementing palliative care. An insightful lecture, ‘AI in Healthcare’ by Dr Kritika R added a forward-looking dimension, sparking discussions on the role of technology in advancing palliative care.
The post-lunch session featured a formal inauguration and felicitation ceremony, graced by eminent dignitaries such as Dr Alok Mathur (Deputy Directorate General of Health Services, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, New Delhi), Dr SVS Deo (Lead, Oncology, Head, Surgical Oncology, Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, New Delhi), Lt Gen (Dr) Bipin Puri (Director of Medical Services, Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, New Delhi) alongside esteemed leaders from APHN and expert faculty from India. The dignitaries expressed their strong support for expanding palliative care services in India. The event concluded with the acknowledgement and felicitation of the faculty and project management team for their commitment to the CTC program.
The very successful Alumni Meet was marked not only for its rich exchange of ideas and experiences, but also for the renewed sense of purpose and camaraderie it fostered. It also reinforced the importance of collective leadership and strong networks in advancing palliative care across the region.
Report submitted by Ms Archana Ganesh (Program Manager, CTC India)
This project is a Lien Collaborative for Palliative Care initiative to build capacity in developing countries in Asia. The Lien Collaborative for Palliative Care was co-developed by the Asia Pacific Hospice Palliative Care Network (APHN) and the Lien Foundation.