Palliative Care in Rural Nepal: Leave No one Behind – 18th – 19th February 2025
Best Western Plus Hotel, Kathmandu and Virtual Conference Online
Session – 18th February – Day 1
1. Welcome and Conference Inauguration
Presenter: Ms Mahima Battarai (MC), Dr Arun Budha (Medical Services Director, GPH), Mr Krishna Adhikari (ED, INF Nepal), Prof Rajesh Gongal (VC, PAHS)
2. History of Palliative Care in INF Nepal and the Development of the Sunita Project
Presenter: Dr Ruth Powys (Retired Palliative Care Services Head, GPH)
3. Palliative Care Needs in Rural Nepal: Exploratory Mixed Methods Survey
Presenter: Sunita Project Research Team
4. Sunita Project – Training Programs and Evaluation: What Did We Learn?
Presenter: Sunita Project Research Team
5. Working Together for Palliative Care: A Rural Health Team’s Experience
Presenter: Dr Dum Kumari and Team from Rainas Municipality
6. Research Partnership with Global Health Academy
Presenter: Dr Dave Fearon (GHA, University of Edinburgh)
7. Essential Medicines for Palliative Care
Presenter: Dr Daniel Munday (Consultant Advisor, Sunita Project)
Launch of the Palliative Care Formulary : Mr Krishna Adhikari, Prof Bishnu Paudel, Prof Rajesh Gongal
Session – 19th February – Day 2
1. Opening Ceremony Day Two
Presenter: Dr Arun Budha, Dr Cathy Ratcliff (CEO EMMS), Mr Rob Fenn (British Ambassador)
2. Keynote Lecture One: “10 years’ Experience of Developing Community Palliative Care”
Presenter: Professor Rajesh Gongal (VC Patan Academy of Health Sciences and Hospice Nepal)
3. Overview of Sunita Project and the Way Forward
Presenter: Dr Amrita Shrestha (Palliative Care Services Lead, GPH)
4. “Sunita’s Story” a Contributor-led Video of Rural Palliative Care – Chair’s Remarks
Presenter: Mr Krishna Adhikari
5. Keynote Lecture Two: Global Health and Palliative Care
Presenter: Professor Liz Grant (Director, Global Health Academy, University of Edinburgh, UK)
6. WHO – Global Initiatives
Presenter: Dr Megan Doherty (Consultant, WHO, Geneva)
7. Palliative Care in Kerala: The Pallium India Experience
Presenter: Ms Smriti Rana (Head of Strategic Programmes and Partnerships, Pallium India)
8. Palliative Care and Mental Health in the Community
Presenter: Dr Chitra Venkateswaran (Consultant Psychiatrist and Director, Mehac Foundation, Kerala)
9. Rural Palliative Care in Ethiopia
Presenter: Dr Nuhamin Gebre (King’s College, London)
10. Poverty Reducing Palliative Care – Malawi
Presenter: Dr Maya Jane Bates (GHA, University of Edinburgh)
11. NAPCare Response
Presenter: Professor Bishnu Paudel (President of NAPCare)
12. Palliative Care at the Gurkha Welfare Trust
Presenter: Dr Satish Gurung (Deputy Medical Director, GWT)
13. The Difference Palliative Care Makes in a Rural Hospital
Presenter: Dr Rajib Neupane (UMN Hospital Tansen)
14. Fellowship in Palliative Care: Report of the First Completed Rotation
Presenter: Dr Raj Kumar Gajmer (Assistant Professor, PAHS)
15. Children’s Palliative Care
Presenter: Dr Amrita Shrestha, Ms Sarah Riggsbee (Rehabilitation Lead, GPH)
16. Vacuum Dressing Research
Presenter: Dr Suraj Maharjan (Plastic Surgeon), Dr Arjan Knulst (Biomedical Engineer, GPH)
17. PhD – NCD Research in Nepal
Presenter: Ms Namuna Shrestha (University of Huddersfield, UK)
18. MSc Dissertation – Moral Distress in Healthcare Workers
Presenter: Ms Manju BK (Palliative Care Specialist Nurse, Lalgadh Hospital)
19. Closing Ceremony with Message from Chief Guest
Presenter: The Honourable Minister of Health and Population, Mr Pradip Paudel