Gulnara Kunirova is a psychologist and palliative care champion living in Almaty, Kazakhstan.
Her interest in palliative care developed after she was hired as Executive Director of the Together Against Cancer foundation in 2009. Together Against Cancer is a nongovernmental, notprofit organization working to improving cancer care in Kazakhstan, from prevention to rehabilitation and palliative care. In her role as Executive Director, she implemented more than 300 projects: raising public awareness, fundraising and charity events, education and training for cancer care specialists, government outreach and patient advocacy, cancer screening and research advancement. Today, the foundation has developed into the most successful anti-cancer organization in Kazakhstan, and is a member of the international Union for International Cancer Control.
In 2013, she cofounded and was elected as president of the Kazakhstan Palliative Care Association, which focuses on advocating for palliative care as the human right and a core component of the health care system. The association has initiated educational and training programs; it also disseminates palliative care philosophy and knowledge at all levels of society, participates in the improvement of the legal framework for palliative care development, implements and supports in-home palliative care projects, introduces best practices of clinical and hospice care, gathers independent data on available resources and access to opioids and palliative care services, and has expanded the palliative care volunteer movement.
Ms. Kunirova is a member of the Public Council of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Independent Director of the Kazakh Institute of Oncology and Radiology, Chair of the Supervisory Board of the Almaty City Center for Palliative Care, and leader of the Working Group on the “Road Map for the Development of Palliative Care in the Republic of Kazakhstan for 2018-2020.” Under her leadership, the Working Group has developed an updated roadmap for 2022-2024 and, a first in Kazakhstan, a “Road Map for the Development of Children’s Palliative Care in the Republic of Kazakhstan for 2022-2024.”
In 2022, she was appointed Chief External Expert on palliative care by the Minister of Health.
Ms. Kunirova joined the IAHPC as a member in 2015, and guided the Kazakhstan Palliative Care Association to membership in 2021. She is also a member the Worldwide Hospice Palliative Care Alliance and the European Association for Palliative Care. She is a certified trainer via the End-of-life Nursing Education Consortium.
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How your gift supports the IAHPC mission
Achieved: $24,941
Goal: $30,000
83%
Education
Your gift funds the operational costs of our online courses taught by globally recognized experts who volunteer their time and provide educational resources relevant to palliative care topics. It also supports scholarships that enable palliative care workers to attend educational events and congresses, and allows us to maintain Pallipedia, the free, live, online dictionary.
The goal of this pillar is to implement strategies, resources and tools that will improve the competencies of the global workforce for appropriate palliative care delivery. We have two programs under this pillar plus many other resources for our members.
Your gift enables us to build and strengthen the partnerships that accelerate global, regional, and national advocacy for palliative care. We advocate for its integration into primary health care under universal health coverage and effective access to essential palliative care medicines and packages for people of all ages. Your gift supports our work to prepare delegates and participate in technical consultation meetings of the relevant UN organizations.
The goal this pillar is the integration of palliative care into primary health care within the spectrum of universal coverage to improve access to adequate care for patients in need. We offer the following to our members:
Documents on Human Rights and Access to Medicines and Care
Research
Your gift enables us to continue doing research that provides guidance and recommendations for action, based on responses from the global palliative care community. Such research includes our recent evaluation of the impact of euthanasia and assisted dying practices on palliative care workers and the use of essential medicines for palliative care. It also supports the costs of publications focused on research relevant to palliative care.
The goal of this pillar is to design and implement projects that lead to the integration of palliative care into health policies, resolutions, and key documents. Our studies help us provide guidance and recommendations, and take action based on the responses from the global palliative care community.
Your membership enables you to participate in IAHPC projects such as the:
Your gift enables us to continue our in-depth reporting and book reviews in Pallinews, as well as media campaigns that raise awareness about the need to increase access to care and support for patients and families.
We are a small organization that allocates over 80% of our budget to mission driven programs and to the maintenance of our free website. We need operational funding to continue the work.
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IAHPC members: When you gift a 2-year membership to a colleague in a low- or middle-income country, we extend your membership by 6 months.
