Palliative care is still a relatively new field in India and has yet to enter the medical curriculum for doctors and nurses. Keeping this in mind, the sessions for this course were designed with the aim to introduce, in the simplest and most comprehensive way, the principles, approaches and components of this vital branch of care that has proved worldwide that it can radically improve the quality of life of those with a life limiting condition like cancer.

The four day course, besides an introduction to palliative care, included sessions on ethics, pain & symptom management, withholding and withdrawing treatment, final hours of living, loss-grief-bereavement issues, communicating skills especially related to breaking bad news, nursing issues, psychosocial-emotional-spiritual concerns, family dynamics, sexuality issues and respite therapies such as art, music and dance among others.

The faculty and resource persons represented several institutions and organizations in India and abroad and brought with them their collective experience and expertise.

The course attracted more than 125 participants from diverse backgrounds within and outside Delhi, who, in their feedback, have expressed immense appreciation for the entire course and have underscored the vital importance of palliative care. We are confident that the course has been able successfully to advocate for the right of people with life-limiting conditions to receive appropriate and compassionate care in order to continue to live with dignity.