Cape Town hosts 2014 HPCA Conference

Categories: Education.

16 September was the first full day of the 2014 HPCA Conference presently underway in Cape Town, South Africa. The venue of the conference is the Lagoon Beach Hotel from which delegates can hear the sound of the ocean waves breaking onto the white sandy beach and offering a stunning view of Table Mountain. In this idyllic setting, delegates were treated to a trio of superb opening plenary speakers.

Nobel prize nominee, Dr Ann Merriman inspired those present with her wonderful opening talk on the role of compassion in palliative care. Delegates were provided with a glimpse of the often challenging but always rewarding road Ann has travelled to become the respected figure that she is both within and outside of palliative care circles.  She spoke with great passion of the importance of translating compassion into action.

In her words, “If we don’t have compassion, [palliative care] is just another specialty.” 

The second speaker, Dr Emmanuel Luyirika, Executive Director of the African Palliative Care Association (APCA) then presented on the recent passing of the resolution on palliative care at the 67th session of the World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland that will encourage all member states to take a greater interest in palliative care, including palliative care for children. Commenting on the drawing up of the resolution he related how Joan Marston Chief Executive of the International Children’s Palliative Care Network, (ICPCN) had persistently reminded those writing it to include children. “We knew that if we did not mention the children, we would receive an email from Joan Marston the next day,” he told the audience.

Andre Wagner, Chief of Party for the HPCA Casipo (Care and Support) project then spoke about the planning and implementation and evaluation of the Casipo project. Andre also referred to the comments of the South African Deputy Minister of Health, Mr Joe Phaahla, at the opening of the conference the previous evening he gave an assurance that palliative care would be reported on at the next National Health Council.

We look forward to an interesting day of presentations today. Joan Marston will be giving a plenary talk on assessing the need for palliative care for children in Africa.

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