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INF Nepal Hosted International Conference on Palliative Care

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INF Nepal Hosted Inter­na­tional Conference on Palliative Care in Rural Nepal: “Leave No One Behind”

Kathmandu, February 18–19, 2025

INF Nepal success­fully hosted the Inter­na­tional Conference on Palliative Care for All in Rural Nepal: “Leave No One Behind.” The hybrid conference took place at Best Western Plus (Hotel Ryne), Pingalasthan, Kathmandu, on February 18–19, 2025, featuring fully integrated face-to-face and virtual sessions.

This conference aimed to explore the devel­opment of primary palliative care in rural Nepal and celebrate the achieve­ments of the Sunita Project—a UK Aid Match-funded initiative delivered by INF Nepal in partnership with EMMS Inter­na­tional, a Scottish health devel­opment charity. This two-day conference brought together key stake­holders, healthcare profes­sionals, policy­makers, and inter­na­tional experts to discuss and promote equitable access to palliative care services in Nepal’s rural areas.  The conference highlighted the key outcomes and lessons learned from the Sunita Project (2022–2025), which played a crucial role in devel­oping a sustainable model for primary palliative care in rural Nepal.

Over the two days, the conference witnessed firsthand impact of Sunita Project and and similar initia­tives, demon­strating how holistic, community-driven care can support individuals and families facing life-limiting illnesses in some of Nepal’s most remote and resource-limited areas. As the conference continued, we had the oppor­tunity to learn and hear from esteemed speakers and experts from South Asia, Africa, and beyond, who shared/presented insights, innov­ative solutions, and real-world experi­ences in advancing palliative care. These discus­sions aimed to deepen under­standing and inspire collective action toward strength­ening palliative care services within Nepal’s healthcare system.

Key Highlights from Day One 18th February, 2025:
The conference opened with a warm welcome address by Dr Arun Kumar Budha, Medical Services Director of INF Nepal Green Pastures Hospital. In his speech, he extended his gratitude to distin­guished guests, inter­na­tional delegates, and partic­i­pants, empha­sizing the impor­tance of palliative care in ensuring dignified and compas­sionate healthcare for individuals facing life-limiting illnesses. He highlighted INF Nepal’s commitment to strength­ening primary palliative care services in rural Nepal and expressed optimism that this conference would foster collab­o­ra­tions, knowledge exchange, and actionable strategies to improve healthcare acces­si­bility. Some of the other key highlights is listed below:

Opening Ceremony: The event was inaugu­rated digitally by Professor Dr. Rajesh Nath Gongal, Vice-Chancellor of Patan Academy of Health Sciences, alongside Krishna Adhikari, Executive Director of INF Nepal.

  • Dr. Ruth Powys, former Palliative Care Services Lead at INF Nepal Green Pastures Hospital, presented the history of palliative care in INF Nepal and the devel­opment of the Sunita Project, which has been instru­mental in creating a sustainable model for palliative care in rural settings.
  • The Sunita Project research team shared insights from an exploratory mixed-method survey on palliative care needs in Nepal, providing valuable data for improving future services. Similarly, Dr Daniel Munday and the Project team presented on the training programs and evalu­ation conducted under the initiative, empha­sizing capacity-building for healthcare providers.
  • Dr Dum Kumari Pun and her team from Rainas Munic­i­pality showcased a successful rural health team experience in integrating palliative care into local healthcare services.
  •  Dr Dave Fearon from the Global Health Academy, University of Edinburgh, delivered a session on global approaches to palliative care and their applic­a­bility in Nepal.
  • A major milestone of the day was the launch of the Palliative Care Formulary of this essential resource for healthcare providers, designed to enhance palliative care services. Professor Dr. Bishnu Dutta Paudel, President of the Nepalese Associ­ation of Palliative Care, also addressed the gathering.

The day concluded with reflec­tions and discus­sions chaired by Dr Amrita Shrestha, Palliative Care Service Lead at INF Nepal Green Pastures Hospital. Throughout the event, Mahima Bhattarai expertly moderated the sessions, ensuring smooth transi­tions and meaningful discus­sions. Krishna Adhikari, Executive Director of INF Nepal, served as the conference chair, overseeing the proceedings and reinforcing the organization’s commitment to expanding palliative care access across Nepal.

 

Key Highlights of Day Two, 19th February 2025:
The second day of the Inter­na­tional Conference on Palliative Care for All in Rural Nepal built upon the discus­sions from Day One, diving deeper into scien­tific research, inter­na­tional perspec­tives, and collab­o­rative efforts to enhance palliative care in Nepal. With a focus on community-driven models and global health initia­tives, Day Two brought together experts, policy­makers, and healthcare profes­sionals to discuss sustainable solutions for palliative care in low-resource settings. The day also featured research presen­ta­tions on community palliative care in Nepal, experi­ences from frontline health workers, and case studies from inter­na­tional partners in India, Bangladesh, Ethiopia, and Malawi.

The morning session was graced by His Excel­lency Rob Fenn, UK Ambas­sador to Nepal, whose presence under­scored the impor­tance of inter­na­tional partner­ships in strength­ening palliative care services. The day began with a warm welcome, from Dr Arun Kumar Budha setting the stage for discus­sions on community-based palliative care and its trans­for­mative impact on rural healthcare. Followed by speech from Dr Cathy Ratcliff, CEO, EMMS Inter­na­tional Dr. Ratcliff empha­sized EMMS Inter­na­tional’s commitment to palliative care in Nepal, sharing insights on partnership-driven approaches that have helped improve end-of-life care in remote areas. The UK Ambas­sador HE Rob Fenn, reaffirmed the British govern­ment’s support for initia­tives like the Sunita Project and highlighted the critical role of collab­o­ration in ensuring quality palliative care services for margin­alized communities.

Keynote Lectures & Research Presentations:

  • Keynote Lecture 1: “10 Years’ Experience of Devel­oping Community Palliative Care” Prof. Dr. Rajesh Nath Gongal, Vice-Chancellor, Patan Academy of Health Sciences (PAHS) Prof. Dr. Gongal shared insights from the Makwanpur model, a pioneering initiative that has success­fully integrated palliative care into Nepal’s primary healthcare system.
  • Premiere of “Sunita’s Story”, a powerful contributor-led video showcasing the real-life impact of the Sunita Project, narrated through personal experi­ences of patients, caregivers, and frontline health workers.
  • Overview of the Sunita Project & Future Roadmap, Dr Amrita Shrestha, Palliative Care Services Lead, INF Nepal, Green Pastures Hospital (GPH)
    Dr. Shrestha outlined the achieve­ments, challenges, and future direc­tions of the Sunita Project, empha­sizing the need for policy integration and capacity-building efforts.

Inter­na­tional & National Contributions:

  • Keynote Lecture 2: “Global Health and Palliative Care”
    Liz Grant, Professor of Global Health, University of Edinburgh, UK
    Prof. Grant discussed palliative care as a global health priority, highlighting models from low-income countries that can inform Nepal’s approach.
  • Perspec­tives from Global Experts & Organizations
  • WHO Global Initia­tives in Palliative Care – Megan Doherty, Consultant, WHO Geneva
  • Palliative Care in Kerala: The Pallium India Experience – Smriti Rana, Head of Strategic Programs & Partner­ships, Pallium India
  • Palliative Care & Mental Health in the Community – Chitra Venkateswaran, Founder/Director, Mehac Foundation, Kerala
  • Rural Palliative Care in Ethiopia – Nuhamin Gebre, King’s College London, UK
  • Poverty-Reducing Palliative Care in Malawi – Maya Jane Bates, Global Health Academy, University of Edinburgh

  • Prof. Dr. Bishnu Dutta Paudel, President, Nepalese Associ­ation of Palliative Care presented NAPCare’s role in shaping Nepal’s national palliative care framework, calling for greater policy support and funding.
  • Dr Satish Gurung, from The Gurkha Welfare Trust shared lessons from palliative care initia­tives for Gurkha veterans, focusing on community-based support for aging populations.
  • Dr. Rajib Neupane, from United Mission Hospital, Tansen highlighted the challenges and successes of imple­menting palliative care in a rural hospital setting.
  • Dr. Raj Kumar Gajmer, from Patan Academy of Health Sciences shared his personal reflec­tions on Nepal’s first fellowship in palliative care, marking a signif­icant step toward specialized training for healthcare professionals.

 

Palliative Care & Research

  • “Lily Ko Baigancha”: A Children’s Palliative Care Initiative Amrita Shrestha & Sarah Riggsbee, INF Nepal GPH lead a heartfelt session on pediatric palliative care, addressing the unique challenges of caring for termi­nally ill children. Similarly, Dr Suraj Maharjan, Consultant Plastic Surgeon presented on behalf of Dr Arjan Knulst, Biomedical Engineer, INF Nepal GPH about the 
    break­through about the Vacuum dressing in wound care management with impli­ca­tions for palliative care patients requiring long-term dressing solutions.
  • Namuna Shrestha, former Sunita Project Research Officer shared her PhD Research, University of Hudder­s­field, UK learnings. A compre­hensive study on NCDs specially the Type two Diabetes and their connection to palliative care needs in Nepal. Similarly, Manju BK, from Lalgadh Hospital (Former Palliative Care Clinical Lead) presented her finding and learnings from the MSc Disser­tation: “Moral Distress in Healthcare Workers” An insightful presen­tation on the emotional and ethical challenges faced by healthcare workers in palliative care settings.

Closing Remarks & Vote of Thanks

  • As a concluding remark Dr Bishnu Dutta Paudel reiterated the need for continued efforts in research, training, and advocacy to strengthen palliative care services across Nepal. Krishna Bahadur Adhikari, Executive Director, INF Nepal & Chair of the Conference expressed deep gratitude to all partic­i­pants, speakers, and partners for their engagement and contri­bu­tions, reaffirming INF Nepal’s commitment to improving palliative care acces­si­bility in rural Nepal.

Palliative care is a vital yet often overlooked component of healthcare, especially in remote and rural areas. This conference aimed at advocating for acces­sible and quality palliative care for all, ensuring that no one is left behind. By bringing together leading experts and policy­makers, the event will pave the way for sustainable palliative care solutions in Nepal.

The conference embodies INF Nepal’s ongoing commitment to improving the quality of life for disad­van­taged and margin­alized commu­nities in Nepal through innov­ative health and devel­opment initia­tives. INF Nepal invites healthcare profes­sionals, policy­makers, researchers, and the public to partic­ipate in this vital event to learn, collab­orate, and help ensure palliative care reaches even the most remote corners of Nepal.

About the Sunita Project: The Sunita Project, led by the Palliative Care and Chronic Disease (PCCD) unit at Green Pastures Hospital in Pokhara, has been pivotal in devel­oping a sustainable model of primary palliative care in rural Nepal. Over the past three years, the project has trained health workers and Female Community Health Volun­teers (FCHVs), raised community awareness through schools and health-related groups, and fostered a strong evidence base through a compre­hensive research program in partnership with the Global Health Academy at the University of Edinburgh.

The Sunita Project is set to conclude on 31st March 2025. Emerging outcomes from the project will be shared at the conference. In addition to presen­ta­tions from the project team, the conference will feature insights from partner organi­za­tions deliv­ering palliative care across rural Nepal. Inter­na­tional guests from South Asia and Africa will also contribute, offering perspec­tives from their own contexts to enrich the global conver­sation on palliative care.

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