This marks the launch of the Lien Collaborative for Palliative Care, a collaboration between the Lien Foundation and the Asia Pacific Hospice Palliative Care Network to build capacity for palliative care in several low resource countries in Asia.
The Lien Foundation worked together with the Myanmar Medical Association (MMA), the Ministry of Health of Myanmar, and the Asia Pacific Hospice Palliative Care Network (APHN) to launch the project in Yangon.
Five palliative care specialists, three doctors and two nurses, from Singapore and Australia, travelled to teach at Yangon General Hospital from 17-22 June.
The group trained 27 leaders in palliative care from 11 hospitals in Myanmar, who will be able to set up palliative care services in different parts of the country. It is hoped that these will in turn become training centres for palliative care in Myanmar.
As well as providing teaching in the participants’ own country, the project will support participants with promise to become champions for palliative care, to send them on clinical fellowships at accredited palliative care services around the region.
The Lien Foundation will also work with governments and pharmaceutical companies to improve access to opioids. This, along with the teaching and support for clinical fellowships, will make up a three pronged approach to improve palliative care in the region.
Speaking after the teaching visit to Yangon General Hospital, Professor Cynthia Goh, chairperson of the Asia Pacific Hospice Palliative Care Network, said: “We are delighted by the response of the participants in Myanmar. We look forward to returning in Jan 2014 for the next teaching.”
Follow the development of the Lien Collaboration of Palliative Care on the website of the Asia Pacific Hospice Palliative Care Network.
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