MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Dear readers:
This month, we will focus our announcement on our membership program initiatives. We feel it may be helpful to remind everyone about some of the benefits of an IAHPC membership. They are:
1. Access to peer reviewed journals: One of the most critical tools to improve patient care is access to new information and transfer of technologies. Scientific publications and peer reviewed journals are one of the most powerful tools in this regard. However, access to publications and educational opportunities is very limited in the developing countries for several reasons, but mostly the high cost of the subscriptions to journals, and/or the membership fees charged by professional organizations.
Based on the above, two years ago IAHPC signed an agreement with EBSCO, to offer access for our members to a large database of journals and publications (CINAHL) in order to help bridge this gap. Through this database, our members are able to access thousands of citations, as well as have full online access to hundreds of journals, including the following:
- Indian Journal of Palliative Care
- International Journal of Palliative Nursing
- Internet Journal of Pain, Symptom Control & Palliative Care
- Journal of Palliative Medicine
- Journal of Pain and Palliative Care Pharmacotherapy.
- Palliative Medicine
- Progress in Palliative Care
One of our goals is to facilitate and improve the palliative care agenda so that therapeutic guidelines, recommendations and treatment options are also based on research conducted in developing countries.
We are very grateful with the publishers of these journals who have been very supportive of our initiative to find ways to access a wealth of published information.
2. Opportunity to apply for grants: The IAHPC offers grants to support members and programs in developing countries. Our most popular programs are:
a. Traveling Scholarship Program: Through this program we support the travel of members working in developing countries who wish to participate or enroll in an educational activity, including congresses, seminars, or formal degree courses. This past month we awarded the following scholarships:
- Diploma in Higher Education in Palliative Care at Nairobi Hospice in association with Oxford Brookes (Kenya): Thanks to the funding from the Princess of Wales Memorial Fund, we provided the following grantees with support:
- Esther Kahuthu - Kenya
- Eunice Nyokabi Ndiritu - Kenya
- Mildred Agnes Waka - Kenya
- Judith Khavai Egala – Kenya
- Gaudencia Afuande - Kenya
- Naseem Mohamed Hussein – Kenya
- Alexander Ngalande – Malawi
- Catherine Mupeyo – Zambia
- Grace Ntitima – Zambia
- Samuel Truwa – Malawi
- International Palliative Care Congress: In addition, we recently announced a call for applications for the 19th International Congress in Montreal, Canada, October 9-12. IAHPC will provide 10 (ten) scholarships to help support the travel of members in developing countries. This edition of the newsletter includes the announcement and instructions on how to apply.
Two reports from previous grantees of this program are included below.
b. Traveling Fellowship Program: Through this program, we provide support to individuals who are invited to teach in a developing country, and spend time providing advice and support to palliative care individuals and their institutions. We are glad to announce that this past month we awarded the following grantees:
- Ms. Beris Bird, a retired palliative care nurse from Australia who will be traveling to Kijabe hospital in Kenya and to the hospital in Boroma, in Somaliland.
- Dr. Stephen Connor to support his participation in the Kenya Hospice Palliative Care Association annual conference and to conduct training in palliative care at Nairobi Hospice as well as in other hospitals.
Congratulations to all the grantees – we hope that their trips are successful and look forward to their reports after their return.
In order to facilitate access to these extraordinary resources and also enable individuals in developing countries to join IAHPC, the board of directors adopted a membership fee schedule based on the Gross National Income of the country as reported by the United Nations where the palliative care worker is located,. We feel this is a more just, and fair, fee schedule that will improve membership possibilities and facilitate access to the database and other IAHPC programs.
We hope that you will join or renew your membership if you have not done so. To join, click on http://www.hospicecare.com/join.htm
Our current members are already enjoying these benefits and continue to send grateful messages. Please let us know how our programs help you in your work and research programs.
Until next month,
Roberto Wenk, MD
Chair, Board of Directors
Liliana De Lima, MHA
Executive Director
Email this page to a friend!
Top of Page |
