2017; Volume 18, No 8, August

Message from the Chair and Executive Director

Dear readers,

Last month was very busy at the United Nations (UN). As a non-governmental organization (NGO) in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), IAHPC was well represented by Ms. Mary Callaway, IAHPC Board Member, and Dr. Katherine Pettus, Advocacy Officer, at the Open-ended Working Group on Ageing (OEWGA). Both Mary and Katherine were active during the sessions and on several occasions they took the opportunity to raise the issue of palliative care to the participants and members of the OEWGA.

Later, Katherine remained at the UN to attend the High-Level Political Forum during which member states presented the information on their progress toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Katherine worked closely with Dr. Stephen Connor, Executive Director of the Worldwide Hospice Palliative Care Alliance, raising awareness and spreading the message of palliative care through the UN. We are especially thrilled to know that Katherine was given the floor twice during which she mentioned how palliative care, as a component of Universal Health Coverage, helps to advance several of the SDGs, in particular to improve health, reduce poverty and improve education. On the Policy and Advocacy page of this edition of the newsletter, Katherine gives a great overview of the events at the UN and future happenings. There are many ways in which you, as members of the palliative care community and civil society, can help your countries advance in achieving the SDGs. If you are interested, please email Katherine.

Last month, IAHPC participated in the 12th Asia Pacific Hospice Conference, hosted by the Asia Pacific Hospice Network (APHN). As we announced in previous editions of the newsletter, IAHPC sponsored 18 participants from countries in Asia and the South Pacific region to attend. Keep an eye on future editions of the newsletter for their reports and photos.

Second IAHPC Advocacy Workshop for Palliative Care for Latin America

Later this month we will be having the second IAHPC Advocacy Workshop for Palliative Care for Latin American countries. We did the first one in April in Uruguay with participants from Argentina, Chile, Uruguay and Paraguay. This time, the workshop will be for representatives of Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. Liliana and Dr. Katherine Pettus, IAHPC Advocacy Officer, will be facilitating along with Ms. Isabel Pereira from De Justicia (NGO) and Dr. Tania Pastrana, President of the Latin American Association for Palliative Care (ALCP). The purpose of the workshop is to collaborate with governments and representatives of civil society in the implementation of four international policy documents:

We will be reporting on the resulting action plans for each country in the next edition of this newsletter.

Until next month,

Lukas Radbruch, MD
Chair, Board of Directors

Liliana De Lima, MHA
Executive Director

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