SINCE 2023
Planting the seeds of palliative care in the largest state of Malaysia
[In progress]
[In progress]
On 13th April 2023, Prof. Dato Sri Sim Kui Hian (seated left) represented the state of Sarawak to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with Dr Ednin Hamzah (seated right), chair of APHN, to kickstart Lien Collab’s three-year palliative care training and educational programme in Sarawak.
Sarawak, the largest state in Malaysia, sits on the island of Borneo. Most of its population of 3 million reside in rural areas, while there are just a few urban centers such its capaital city of Kuching. Palliative care services in the country are likely to be accessible to only a tiny portion of the population, and the estimated coverage for Malaysia as a whole is around 10%.
In early 2022, representatives from the palliative care community in Sarawak approached Lien Collab to initiate a training programme project. Our team followed up with a trip to Kuching where we met various key stakeholders, including the deputy premier of Sarawak, the director of Sarawak General Hospital, director of Sibu Hospital, director of Two Tree Lodge Hospice and the chief executive officer of Kuching Life Care.
The trip also helped the team learn about the Sarawak context. Many of its healthcare are able to communicate in English and their local languages. There were also various gaps in the existing system that an upcoming state task force dedicated to palliative care can address. As a result of the meetings, Sarawak General Hospital was identified as a possible training site too.
In April 2023, the Lien Collab Palliative Care Workshop was successfully organised in Sarawak. It provided participants from various state hospitals and health clinics knowledge and skills in palliative care principles, pain management, communication, and end-of-life care. The workshop also witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Sarawak and Lien Collab—setting a milestone in the efforts to expand palliative care services beyond Sarawak’s urban areas and briing more equitable access across the state.
Dr Ednin Hamzah (Malaysia)
A decade-long effort has helped palliative care take root for good
Building and tailoring palliative care services for the landlocked kingdom
Our largest efforts in palliative care training to date
Growing palliative care access in the world’s most populous country
Exploring ways to bring relief to a challenging healthcare system
Our pioneering programme is now independently run by local volunteers
Growing and expanding the nascent network of care
A seed has grown into a system and more
Taking the first steps to introducing palliative care
APHN Secretariat
c/o Division of Supportive & Palliative Care National Cancer Centre Singapore
30 Hospital Boulevard
Singapore 168583
Lien Collaborative for Palliative Care (Lien Collab) draws on philanthropy, health institutions, palliative care service providers, individuals and more to strengthen leadership and capacity in bringing pain relief to all.
