RUZAIK FAROOK
COLOMBO — Launching Ceremony of the Hospice Sri Lanka Alliance marks a Milestone in Palliative Care The inaugural ceremony of the Hospice Sri Lanka Alliance, organized by the College of Palliative Medicine of Sri Lanka (CPMSL), took place at BMICH on Saturday April 11.
The event, graced by the esteemed presence of Dr. Palitha Mahipala, Secretary of Health, alongside several distinguished health officials including the Director General of Health Services Dr. Asela Gunawardena.
Established with the noble aim of promoting evidence-based palliative medicine and care, CPMSL has emerged as a beacon of hope for enhancing the quality of life for palliative patients across Sri Lanka. Over the past three years, CPMSL has made significant strides in various domains, particularly in capacity building and beyond, thanks to the collaborative efforts of its diverse committees.
While hospices have operated on the island for over a decade, the absence of amalgamation and inter-hospice coordination posed challenges in training, service enhancement, and benchmarking. Addressing these gaps, the Hospice Sri Lanka Alliance assumes the role of a catalyst, striving to elevate the hospice sector to international standards. Prof. Samadhi Rajapaksa’s leadership as the Chairman of the Alliance for the upcoming year underscores the commitment to this cause.
Representatives from all hospices in the country, namely Shantha Sevana-Maharagama, CANE- Jaffna, Cancer Care Anuradhapura, Sri Sathya Sai Suva Sevana-Hanwella, Institute of Palliative Medicine-Matara, Eastern Cancer Care- Eravur and Sahana Sevana-Maharagama, gathered at the ceremony, seizing the opportunity to share their invaluable experiences with the audience.
Moreover, the event also witnessed the launch of the “Touch of Tender Loving Care’ Publications of the College of Palliative Medicine of Sri Lanka, a series aimed at providing essential guidance to caregivers in both community and hospice settings. Authored and curated by experts in respective fields, these publications offer a wealth of knowledge crucial for caregiver training and self-learning initiatives.
The “Touch of Tender Loving Care” series encapsulates vital aspects such as basic palliative care, pain management, nutrition guidance, prevention of communicable diseases, care of bed sores, and support for caregivers. By targeting this often neglected group, CPMSL reaffirms its commitment to holistic palliative care and community empowerment.
The following books were launched and authors presented the first copies of the books to the guests.
Basic palliative Care Aspects at community Setting by Dr. Ishanka Talagala, Pain management in palliative care patients in the community by Dr. Prasadini Karunarathne, Nutrition guide for patients receiving palliative and hospice care in a home setting by Dr. Renuka Jayathissa, Prevention of Communicable diseases in palliative patients at home setting by Dr. Ishara Premathilake,Caretaker guide on managing bed sores by Dr, Thusitha Kahaduwa and Caring for Caregivers by Dr. Manudi Vidhanapathirana.
