Diah Martina
Diah Martina is a faculty member in the Division of Psychosomatic and Palliative Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia. She is involved in teaching palliative care to undergraduate students, residents, fellows, and doctoral candidates. She regularly contributes to palliative care educational activities through programs organized by the Ministry of Health across Indonesia, and through invited lectures in conferences and workshops in Asia, Europe, and the United States. She has also contributed as faculty to the International Palliative Care Courses organized by the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO)
Alongside her academic role, Dr. Martina practices clinically as a palliative care physician at Universitas Indonesia Hospital and supports the development of palliative care services at Mayapada Tangerang Hospital and Bunda Jakarta General Hospital. Her clinical and academic interests focus on strengthening palliative care within health systems and ensuring that care remains responsive to patients’ values, goals, and cultural contexts.
Early in her career, supported by international awards and scholarships, she undertook several international training programs through the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Palliative Care Fellowship Program at Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, University Medical Center Rotterdam, and the Palliative Care Education Program (PCEP) at Harvard Medical School. She was also a recipient of the ASCO International Development and Education Award in Palliative Care (IDEA-PC).
Dr. Martina completed her PhD at Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, where her research focused on serious illness communication from cultural perspectives. Her work has been published in international peer-reviewed journals and addresses information disclosure practices, cultural and religious influences on decision-making, and equity in cancer and palliative care in Asia. She is a co-editor of Advance Care Planning in Asia Pacific and a contributor to the Research Handbook on End-of-Life Care and Society. She is currently involved in several international research collaborations and co-leads a project funded by the Conquer Cancer Foundation to develop culturally sensitive serious illness communication tools in Indonesia.
She has also been active in national and international advocacy. Nationally, she co-led a project assessing the integration of palliative care into Indonesia’s primary health care system, supported by WHO-Indonesia in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo National Referral Hospital. The project’s recommendations have contributed to ongoing national policy discussions and pilot initiatives on integrating palliative care into primary care. Internationally, she participates in activities of the WHO Palliative Care Working Group.
Dr. Martina also contributes to global palliative care initiatives through international societies. She previously served on the ASCO Asia Pacific Regional Council and is currently involved in palliative care guideline development and annual meeting scientific committees.
She has been a member of the International Association for Hospice and Palliative Care (IAHPC) since 2016 and was elected to serve on its Board of Directors starting in 2026. She also serves as a member of the IAHPC Advocacy Committee.
Through her combined roles in clinical care, education, research, and policy engagement, Dr. Martina hopes to contribute to improving access to compassionate, culturally responsive, and person-centered palliative care.
In her free time, she enjoys travelling, watching movies, and spending time with her family.