Governance

26th Council

A/Prof Aggarwal has been the Head of the Palliative Care Department at Concord Hospital since 1996. Her practice includes hospital consultancy, ambulatory and inpatient.

She has been involved in the development of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians Chapter of Palliative Medicine and is the chair of the Executive of the Sydney Institute of Palliative Medicine. Her interests include interface between oncology and palliative medicine, education in palliative care, communication skills and ethics and end of life decision making. Currently she is involved in teaching and development of Palliative Care in the Asia-Pacific region.

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A/Prof Ghauri Aggarwal

Chair

Dr. Masanori Mori is Director of the Division of Palliative and Supportive Care at Seirei Mikatahara General Hospital in Hamamatsu, Japan. His research interests include symptom management, clinician-patient communication and advance care planning (ACP), particularly in the context of Asian culture. He has been the principal investigator of several international and national research projects, including a Delphi study on ACP in Asia and the East Asian cross-cultural collaborative Study to Elucidate the Dying process (EASED). He has been involved in the development of clinical practice guidelines on cancer dyspnea, clinician-patient communication and ACP.

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Dr Masanori Mori

Vice-Chair

Dr Ho Shirlynn is a palliative care physician in National Cancer Centre Singapore, with clinical experience in both tertiary hospitals as well as community settings. She is interested in fostering clinical collaborations between different institutions across settings to bring about greater access to quality palliative care. Her experience as head of medical service in Assisi Hospice, as well as her new role as director of clinical services in the Singhealth Duke Supportive and Palliative Care Centre, allows her to pursue this cause. She had also been involved in various Lien Centre for Palliative Care programmes aimed at training and capacity building in the Asia Pacific Region, and is currently the lead for the programme for Bhutan from 2018.

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Dr Shirlynn Ho

Vice-Chair

Mr Wayne Naylor is Chief Executive of Hospice New Zealand. He is a Registered Nurse and has spent most of his 30-year nursing career working in oncology, haematology and palliative care in New Zealand and the United Kingdom. He received his Diploma in Comprehensive Nursing from Otago Polytechnic (NZ) in 1992 and went on to complete a Bachelor of Science honours degree at The Royal Marsden Hospital in London, followed by post graduate qualifications in palliative care and statistics on his return to New Zealand.

Wayne’s main areas of interest are cancer and palliative care nursing and nursing education. He has a long-standing interest in wound management, particularly in cancer and palliative care patients and has presented and published widely on this subject.

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Mr Wayne Naylor

Honorary Secretary

Soh Keng has been working and volunteering in the healthcare sector, largely in non profit and charity organisations for the past 10 years. With a decade of Board experience, she currently volunteers as the Chair for HCA Hospice Ltd, Board member in Lions Home for elderly and actively engaged in grassroots community work.

Soh Keng's experience in palliative care started when she managed Projects such as Setting up Day care centers in Marsiling Drive and our Best in class unique Oasis@Outram, day centers for palliative patients.

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Ms Tan Soh Keng

 Assistant Secretary

Mr Kwan has been serving in the non-profit sector in Hong Kong for over thirty years. Formerly he worked for an international conservation organisation helping to conserve our precious, natural environment and endangered wildlife species for the benefit of human beings. In 2004, he joined the social welfare sector contributing to the promotion of holistic hospice and palliative care for people living with terminal illness and their families, as well as advocating a positive attitude towards life and death to the general public of Hong Kong.

In 2010, he kick-started the project of constructing a non-profit hospice home, the Jockey Club Home for Hospice located in Shatin. With the new hospice home has been up and running, Mr. Kwan moved on and joined Maggie’s Cancer Caring Centre in 2016 to care for people affected by cancer, bringing hope for all those people to live with, through and beyond a cancer journey. Mr. Kwan also serves other non-profit organisations on a volunteer basis. Currently, he is a Council Member of the Asia Pacific Hospice Network, and ReSource The Counselling Centre and Will in Action in Hong Kong.

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Mr Kwan Kam Fan

Honorary Treasurer

Karin is a leading advocate for palliative care in the Philippines, dedicated to integrating it as a cornerstone of the country’s healthcare system. Her mission is rooted in education, as she tirelessly trains future palliative care specialists, residents, medical students, nurses, and other allied health professionals.

Her journey is marked by significant milestones, including holding key leadership positions in major Philippine health organizations. Notably, she served as the Immediate Past President of the Philippine Academy of Family Physicians (PAFP), a Past President of the Philippine Society of Hospice and Palliative Medicine (PSHPM), and is the Chairperson of the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the University of the Philippines - Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH).

Karin’s vision for palliative care stems from her rich experience in hospital and primary care settings. She honed her expertise through residency training in Family and Community Medicine and a fellowship in Hospice and Palliative Medicine, both at UP-PGH. Her leadership and collaborative approach have left an indelible mark on the palliative care landscape in the Philippines.

During her presidency at PSHPM, Karin spearheaded collaborations with various medical organizations, yielding groundbreaking initiatives, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Under her leadership, the society produced the COVID-19 Palliative Care Guidance Documents in partnership with private and public stakeholders. PSHPM also played a vital role in developing the Unified COVID-19 Algorithms and Guidelines on Telehomecare for Asymptomatic and Mild COVID-19 Cases.

Her contributions extend to national health policymaking. As a distinguished member of the Department of Health’s (DOH) Technical Working Group, she helped craft the Manual of Operations, Procedures, Standards (MOPS), and accompanying training modules. This work is a game-changer, ensuring palliative care is integrated across all levels of the Philippine healthcare system—from hospitals to communities and homes, providing holistic support to Filipino patients and their families.

Karin’s unwavering commitment, leadership, and vision continue to advance the field of palliative care, bringing comfort and dignity to countless lives across the Philippines.

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Dr Karin Estepa Garcia

Assistant Treasurer

Dr Rachel Coghlan has over 20 years’ experience in public health, humanitarian response and clinical practice. She brings clinical expertise in palliative and end-of-life care, ageing and frailty, disability, rehabilitation and non-communicable diseases. Rachel has worked across humanitarian and development health research, practice, policy and advocacy with a range of international agencies, donors organisations and academic institutions. She is a global leader on qualitative research and advocacy concerning palliative care in humanitarian settings, with a focus on armed conflict.

Rachel’s work is underpinned by a commitment to understanding the interplay of context, culture, society and politics on experiences of ageing, illness, dying and bereavement, and to exploring the intersections of health and social approaches to caring. Her research interests span medical anthropology, experience-based co-design and narrative inquiry in disability, ageing and palliative care. Rachel is a storyteller who focuses on amplifying the voices and wisdom of those affected by illness, disability or frailty.

Rachel currently works at the Nossal Institute for Global Health, University of Melbourne. She is also a practicing physiotherapist in specialist palliative care. She has a Master of Public Health and a PhD from the Centre for Humanitarian Leadership, Deakin University. Rachel is also a Board Director of Palliative Care Australia.

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Dr Rachel Coghlan

Member
 

Dr Yuen Kwok Keung is a council member of the Asia Pacific Hospice Palliative Care Network, as well as the Lead of the China Training Steering Team Subcommittee.

Dr Yuen is a specialist in Clinical Oncology and Palliative Medicine. He graduated from The Chinese University of Hong Kong in 1992 and was admitted Fellow of the Royal College of Radiologists in 1997, Fellow of the Hong Kong College of Radiologists and Fellow of the Hong Kong Academy of Medicine in 2000. He joined the Department of Clinical Oncology of Queen Mary Hospital in 2014.

He is also the Vice Chairman of Hong Kong Society of Palliative Medicine, Vice President of the Hong Kong College of Radiologists and Committee Member of the European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO) Designated Centers Working Group.

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Dr Yuen Kwok Keung

Member

Dr Naveen Salins graduated with honours in Internal Medicine MD in 2003. He went on to complete three years of specialist palliative care training at the Lyell McEwin Hospital, followed by a role as a specialist at the Royal Adelaide Hospital in South Australia. Upon returning to India, he held clinical and academic positions at HCG Bengalore Institute of Oncology and Tata Memorial Hospital in Mumbai. Currently, he serves as Professor and Head of the Department of Palliative Medicine and Supportive Care at KMC Manipal. He was awarded a Royal College of Physicians (FRCP) Fellowship from London and Glasgow in 2020 and completed his PhD in palliative care from Lancaster University, UK, in 2021. He is also an Honorary Professor of Medicine at Cardiff and Hull University, UK, and was appointed Associate Dean of Research in 2023.

He Served as Editor of the Indian Journal of Palliative Care and Associate Editor of BMC Palliative Care. Course Director for the BMJ Online Palliative Care Course and Director of the EPEC India Program. Established international research collaborations with esteemed institutions such as the University of California, San Francisco, Lancaster University, and Hull York University, UK. Served on commissions and technical committees of organisations such as the Indian Council of Medical Research, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the National Cancer Grid, the Medical Council of India, and the National Board of Examinations. The Secretary General of the Academy of Palliative, a national organisation committed to improving specialist and generalist palliative care education in India. Best Outgoing Student award in 2003 and the Best Teacher award in 2005. Best Palliative Care Service award from the Government of South Australia in 2008. European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO) accreditation award for Integrated Oncology and Palliative Care in 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2022, the ISCCM Presidential Citation Award in 2015, and the International Award for Excellence in Palliative Care in 2020. Accredited the department as the International Reference Centre for End-of-Life Care by the International Collaborative for Best Care for the Dying Person at the University of Liverpool and by the Multinational Association for Supportive Care in Cancer for Excellence in Cancer Supportive Care. In 2023, the department became a Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) member.

Honoured with the Clinical Impact Award by the European Association of Palliative Care and Cynthia Goh Leadership Fellowship. Chairs the subcommittee for palliative care in low-resource settings for the Lancet Oncology Commission as its Commissioner. He has 120+ indexed peer-reviewed publications to his credit and has received various national and international grants, including NIH/NIC, APHN, and ICMR.

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Dr Naveen Salins

Member

Prof Yoshiyuki Kizawa is a council member of the Asia Pacific Hospice Palliative Care Network, as well as, the Chair of the Research Committee.

Yoshi (Yoshiyuki Kizawa) is a Director of the Department of Palliative and Supportive Care at the University of Tsukuba Hospital and the Professor of Palliative Medicine at the University of Tsukuba, Faculty of Medicine. He moved from Kobe University to the University of Tsukuba in April 2022. He has been recently re-elected as President of the Japanese Society for palliative medicine in Japan, which has more than 12000 members.

Yoshi leads the education program that aims to acquire basic skills of palliative care for all health care professionals to improve the quality of life of patients and families who are in life-threatening conditions. The national primary palliative care education project namely PEACE (Palliative care Emphasis program on symptom management and Assessment for Continuous medical Education) was launched in 2007 funded by the Japanese government and disseminated all over Japan. Until March 2022, more than 150,000 physicians finished the 2-day education course. This educational project very much contributes improving the integration of palliative care in oncology in our country.

He also has a strong interest in teaching and practicing advance care planning. Yoshi leads a National Advance Care Planning Education Project, funded by the Japanese government, namely E-FIELD ( Education for Implementing End-of-life Discussion).

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Prof Yoshiyuki Kizawa

Member

Dr. Sujeong Kim is the Vice Director of the Research Institute for Hospice and Palliative Care, the Catholic University of Korea. This institute is the only WHO Collaborating Centre specializing in palliative care in the Western Pacific Region, reflecting its pivotal role in advancing global palliative care standards. With a strong commitment to empowering nurses, Dr. Kim focuses on enhancing their capacity to deliver high-quality, evidence-based care in pediatric and palliative care settings.

An Associate Professor specializing in pediatric nursing, she combines her extensive academic background, including a PhD from the University of Illinois at Chicago, with practical experience to advance neonatal and pediatric palliative care. Her research, published in high-impact journals, often addresses the ethical and professional challenges faced by healthcare providers in palliative care. She has developed innovative training programs and practice guidelines, aiming to improve care for children with life-limiting conditions and their families.

Through her leadership roles, Dr. Kim promotes interdisciplinary collaboration and cultural competence, underscoring the critical role of nursing in improving healthcare outcomes globally.

A/Prof Sujeong Kim

Member

Dr Choo has been a palliative care physician in Sarawak since 2021. She graduated from Universiti Malaysia Sarawak and had been working as a general physician in Sarawak General Hospital before subspecialising in palliative care due to the growing need and demand for such services in Sarawak. Currently, she is leading the palliative care unit in SGH, developing services in major hospitals in Sarawak. She has also initiated the domiciliary palliative care programme across Sarawak in collaboration with local hospices, Asia Pacific Hospice Palliative Care Network (APHN), and American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). Dr Choo is also involved with the training and education of nurses, doctors, and Unimas medical students. She is excited to develop palliative care services in Sarawak, be it in the hospital or in the community. Her vision is to build Sarawak to be a centre of excellence for impeccable palliative care service and training.

Dr Sharon Choo

Member

Dr. Shao-Yi Cheng is currently the Professor and Director of the Department of Family Medicine, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University. Dr. Cheng received her M.D. and MSc from National Taiwan University and completed the training in Family Medicine from National Taiwan University Hospital. She completed her DrPH. in Health Policy and Management from Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health in 2011.

Her research interest involves end-of-life care, ACP and quality of dying. She has founded palliative care research network in Taiwan, East-Asia and has been actively collaborating with Japan and Korea for cross- cultural studies. After comparing the physician perceived quality of dying in three countries, she has moved into cohort project named as EASED (East-Asian collaborative Study to Elucidate the Dying process). In addition, she has conducting study on Advance Care Planning with School of Public Health, Kyoto University. She has served on the Scientific Committee of Asia Pacific Hospice Palliative Care Network (APHN) and is now a Council Member.

Dr. Cheng is currently President of the Taiwan Academy of Hospice Palliative Medicine and leading many international collaborations. Dr. Cheng is Editor-in-Chief of Taiwan Journal of Hospice Palliative Care. She is also a reviewer of many internationally renowned journals such as Annals of Internal Medicine, Journal of Pain and Symptom Management, Palliative Medicine, Journal of Palliative Medicine, BMC Palliative Care, Oncologist and on the Editorial Board of BMC Palliative Care.

Prof Shao-Yi Cheng

Member

Dr. Attakorn Raksasataya is one of the palliative care pioneers of Thailand and a clinician at the Karunruk Palliative Care Center, Srinagarind Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Thailand. His practice spans hospital consultations, ambulatory care, inpatient services, and home visits. Beyond direct patient care, he is committed to medical education, training doctors and nurses to expand palliative care knowledge among healthcare professionals. As a palliative care advocate, he actively builds networks, engages with media, and contributes to public awareness. He currently serves as Head of the Karunruk Palliative Care Research Collaboration Center (KPCRCC).

Dr. Raksasataya holds leadership positions in several organizations, including Executive Committee roles in both the Royal College of Family Medicine of Thailand and the Thai Palliative Care Society. Currently, he is involved in the development of palliative care in Lao PDR and Asia-Pacific region

Dr Attakorn Raksasataya

Member

APHN has a complex structure that allows for both individuals and organisations to be involved in the organisation. Only Ordinary Organisational Members have voting rights. Council Members and representatives of Organisational Members must be Individual Members. This ensures the commitment of those involved in the business of the APHN.

APHN has a governing Council of 15 members. Nine are elected and six are co-opted. All members have a three-year term. The first Annual General Meeting was held in Taiwan in 2001.

Click here to find out more about our past councils.

Executive Staff

giam-g

Mr Giam Cheong Leong

Executive Director since 2019
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Ms Trudy Giam
Executive
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Mr Cheng Tah Nern
Executive
cheyenne-g
Ms Cheyenne Chai
Executive

Legal Advisor

chrischong

Mr Christopher Chong

Senior Partner
Dentons Rodyk & Davidson LLP

Organisational Structure

APHN Secretariat Organization Chart_06Jul2021

Although APHN is registered as a charity in Singapore, it is a regional organisation with representation on the APHN Council from Sectors* in the region. The Founding Sectors of APHN are Australia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Myanmar, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.

* A Sector is a geographic region that may include one or more countries or part of a country.

Click here for current sectors.

Updated: 2025

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APHN's operations are guided by policies that ensure we act with integrity, accountability, and transparency across all that we do.

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