2025 was a year of deep engagement and purposeful growth for the Asia Pacific Hospice Palliative Care Network (APHN). Across countries, disciplines, and platforms, APHN continued to strengthen palliative care systems through education, collaboration, leadership development, and on-the-ground partnership. From regional capacity-building trips and international conferences to high-impact webinars and scholarships, APHN’s work in 2025 reflected both breadth of reach and depth of commitment.
Strengthening Systems Through the Lien Collaborative Program
The Lien Collaborative Program remained a cornerstone of APHN’s work in 2025, supporting country partners through sustained, in-country engagement and mentorship. Over the year, APHN conducted 10 collaborative trips across 9 countries, working closely with local teams to strengthen service development, workforce capacity, and policy engagement.
Lien Collaborative trips took place in:
- Sarawak (10–14 March; 18–22 August)
- Laos (3 March–25 April)
- Timor Leste (5–9 May; 13–17 October)
- Thailand (21–25 July)
- India (25–29 August)
- Philippines (31 August–4 September)
- Bhutan (4–11 October)
- Sri Lanka (10–14 November)
These visits reinforced APHN’s long-term partnerships and its commitment to context-specific, locally led palliative care development across the Asia Pacific region.
Advancing Psychosocial Care Capacity
On November 23, we celebrated the completion of its 8-month Psychosocial Care Course in Beijing. Organized by the Mandarin Special Interest Group (SIG) led by Dr. KK Yuen and curated by Dr. Gilbert Fan, the course culminated in the graduation of 27 healthcare professionals from 11 hospitals across six districts in China. More than a milestone, this moment marks a collective step forward in the continuing story of care, empathy, and connection across the region, highlighted by a role-play workshop on family conferences and meetings.
Convening, Connecting, and Representing the Region
APHN maintained a strong presence at major regional and global conferences throughout 2025, using these platforms to share Asia Pacific perspectives, foster collaboration, and advocate for equitable palliative care.
Key highlights included:
- APHC 2025 (22–26 April, Kuching, Sarawak) – APHN’s biennial flagship conference brought together over 1,200 delegates from more than 30 countries, serving as a major convening for learning, exchange, and regional solidarity. APHN also conducted its strategic planning during the conference.
- Collaborating for Global Impact Workshop (12–14 May, Dublin) – Over 40 global leaders gathered for this transformative workshop co-organised by GPIC and the Elea Institute.
- EAPC Congress (29–31 May) – APHN presented a special session on the Cynthia Goh Palliative Care Fellowship (CGF), featuring fellows from four countries sharing innovations in policy, workforce development, and community integration.
- JSPM Conference (4–5 July) – APHN hosted a booth and co-organised an English Track session, “Connecting Asia: Advancing Palliative Care through Collaboration and Learning,” highlighting regional cooperation.
- OPCC (9–12 September) – APHN’s booth served as an engagement hub and promotional platform for APHC 2027 in Adelaide. APHN Chair, Associate Professor Ghauri Aggarwal, delivered a plenary on APHN’s work and the Lien Collaborative Program.
- APCA Conference (22–29 September) – APHN participated in the GPIC Preconference Workshop, contributing reflections on sustaining momentum in global palliative care.
- TAHPM Annual Conference, Taiwan (1–6 November) – APHN was invited to the Plenary Session, represented by A/Professor Ghauri Aggarwal and Professor Yoshiyuki Kizawa.
- ICPCN Conference (12–15 November) – APHN participated with a booth and supported participation through targeted bursaries.
Expanding Reach Through Education
Education remained central to APHN’s mission in 2025. Across 9 webinar sessions, APHN reached more than 1,800 participants, reflecting continued demand for accessible, high-quality palliative care education.
2025 Webinar Series
- Geriatrics and Palliative Care for Older People
- Symptom Management Update: What’s New in Palliative Care?
- Ethical and Legal Issues in Palliative Medicine
- Palliative Assessment Instruments
- Rehabilitation in Palliative Care
Palliative Care for Children: Learning & Fellowship Forum
- The Magnify Tool – Supporting the use of data in paediatric palliative care for quality improvement
- Caring Beyond Cure – Paediatric Palliative Care in a Pacific Island Nation
- Ethical Principles for Decision-Making in Paediatric Palliative Care
Special Webinar
- First Asia-Pacific Ranking of Palliative Care: 2025 World Map Insights under the WHO Framework
Supporting Participation Through Scholarships
To ensure inclusive access to learning and exchange, APHN awarded 48 scholarships and bursaries in 2025.
These included:
- 22 scholarships at APHC 2025, comprising the Rosalie Shaw Travel Scholarship, APHN Bursaries, the Cynthia Goh Award, and Lien Collaborative Bursaries
- 26 bursaries for ICPCN, supporting participants from 11 regions through the Lien Collaborative Bursary Award
Looking Ahead
Together, these activities reflect a year of meaningful progress—strengthening partnerships, amplifying regional voices, and building capacity across systems and communities. As APHN looks ahead, the momentum of 2025 reinforces its commitment to collaboration, equity, and the continued advancement of palliative care across the Asia Pacific.