The Asia Pacific Hospice Palliative Care Network was established to empower and support individuals and organisations committed to alleviating suffering from life-threatening illness in the Asia Pacific region. Established programs are encouraged to assist less experienced and more isolated colleagues. More than 1000 individuals and organisations from 29 countries have registered as members since 2001.
You are invited to the Singapore Palliative Care Conference 2008 at the RELC Hotel Singapore 29 - 30 August 2008. This biennial scientific meeting organised by the Singapore Hospice Council is for all healthcare workers involved in or interested in end-of-life care.
The theme of the conference is "Respecting Choices". Plenary speakers will be Professor Harvey Chochinov from Canada, Professor Cecilia Chan from Hong Kong and Associate Professor Cynthia Goh from Singapore. Professor Chochinov, a psychiatrist, holds the Canada Reseach Chair in Palliative Care at the University of Manitoba. His research interest is in examining ways of preserving dignity at the end of life. Professor Cecilia Chan who is Professor in Health and Social Work at the University of Hong Kong, is well known for her work in death, dying and bereavement among the Chinese.
We have introduced two new features. Photo Gallery gives an overview of recent activities attended by APHN members. There are photographs from India, Philippines, Singapore and Vietnam. Hospice Stories provides an opportunity for our members to tell their stories, whether as a professional or personal caregivers. One story is from India, another from Philippines and two from Singapore. Photo Gallery >> Hospice Stories >>
In 2008 twenty students from eight countries have enrolled for the APHN-Flinders University Diploma/Graduate Certificate in Palliative Care. Seven are from India, two from Philippines, four from Singapore, two from Malaysia, two from Thailand and one each from Bangladesh, Iran and Korea. Four are nurses, and sixteen are doctors.
Dr Taranjeet Singh is a Junior Resident with the neurosurgical department at the ASC College of Medical Science and Hospital in Jammu, Kashmir, India.
Dr Sarath Keloth Erakkodan works as a Senior House Officer with Dr Suresh Kumar at the Institute of Palliative Medicine in Calicut, Kerala, India.
Dr Nirmala Sreekumar founded the Pain and Palliative Care Clinic at the Sree Uthradom Thirunal Hospital, Trivandrum, Kerala, India. She is now working with Professor MR Rajagopal as Registrar of Pain and Palliative Medicine at the Trivandrum Institute of Palliative Sciences.
Dr Srivieng Pairojkul is Associate Professor at the Kon Kaen University Department of Paediatrics. Her interest is in paediatric palliative care.
Dr Arunangshu Das is with the radiotherapy department at the Dhaka Medical College in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Christopher Kek-Yong Ng has been with HCA Hospice Care for the past year as a home care nurse. Previously he was a staff nurse at Dover Park Hospice, also in Singapore.
Dr Raymond Ng is a Singaporean Family Physician with an interest in palliative care.
Dr Sakon Singha trained as surgeon before doing a PhD in transplantation immunology at the University of Bristol. He is now Lecturer in the Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University in Hat Yai, Thailand. He is the Chairman of the Hospice Foundation of Thailand.
Dr Libu Gnanaseelan Kanakamma is Assistant Professor in the Department of Community Medicine at the Dr SMCSI Medical College and Hospital, Karakonam, Trivandrum, Kerala, India.
Ellen Yee is Nurse Manager with the Palliative Care Association of Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, home care program. Previously she was Nurse Manager in Intensive Care Units.
Dr Vivek Nirahawane is Project Officer, Palliative Care Services, at the Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, India.
Dr Maria Elisa Allado-Dela Cruz works with Ayala Alabang Hospice Foundation, a home care program serving patients in Muntinglupa/Paranaque areas of Manila. Elisa holds a Master of Business Administration degree.
Dr Hyun-Jung Jho is a Family Physician from Seoul, South Korea. She has been awarded a SHC-Lien Foundation Palliative Care Fellowship and will be spending the next two years in Singapore at the Department of Palliative Medicine, National Cancer Centre.
Dr Lalitha Kanapathi is Medical Officer with Mount Miriam Cancer Centre, Penang, Malaysia.
Theresa Meng-Nia Lim is a Home Care Nurse with HCA Hospice Care, Singapore.
Grace Gaik-Har Lee is Senior Staff Nurse in the palliative care wards at Bright Vision Hospital, Singapore.
Dr Ramkumar Govindaraj has been Registrar (PCU) at the Christian Medical College, Vellore. He has been awarded a SHC-Lien Foundation Palliative Care Fellowship and will spend the next two years in Singapore.
Dr Ed Marie Togonan is Assistant Professor in the Department of Preventive and Community Medicine at the West Visayas University College of Medicine.
Dr Mamak Tahmasebi is Palliative Care Consultant at the Emam Hospital Cancer Institute in Tehran. Dr Mamak spent nine months with the Sydney Institute of Palliative Medicine in 2005.
Dr Vijayakumar Narayanan from Kottayam, Kerala, India, has been working a radiation oncologist with BP Kiorala Memorial Cancer Hospital, Bharatpur, Nepal, for the past two years. Dr Vija has degrees in psychology. He has been awarded a SHC-Lien Foundation Palliative Care Fellowship and will spend the next two years in Singapore.
You are invited to the Singapore Palliative Care Conference 2008 at the RELC Hotel Singapore 29 - 30 August 2008. This biennial scientific meeting organised by the Singapore Hospice Council is for all healthcare workers involved in or interested in end-of-life care. 
