The Hospice and Palliative Care Association of Nigeria (HPCAN) has held its 18th Scientific Conference and Annual General Meeting (AGM), at the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital (UATH), Gwagwalada, Abuja, with a renewed commitment to strengthening palliative care services through the provision of compassionate and patient-centred care across Nigeria.
The event is themed, “Strengthening Palliative Care in Nigeria: The Total Psychosocial Well-being of the Patient.”
The conference also features sub-themes including “The Role of Government and Policymakers in Palliative Care” and “Community Involvement in Palliative Care,” highlighting the collective responsibility required to improve the quality of life of patients living with serious and life-limiting illnesses.
The three-day conference, which runs from July 1 to 3, 2026, attracted participants from various health institutions, professional bodies, and organizations within and outside Nigeria.
Addressing participants at the opening ceremony, HPCAN President, Prof. Tonia Onyeka, stated that the conference provides a vital platform for engagement with distinguished national and international experts, sharing emerging evidence, learning from successful models, strengthening collaborations, and developing practical strategies for advancing palliative care throughout Nigeria.
She called on governments at the federal, state, and local levels to recognize palliative care not as an optional service, but as an essential component of a responsive, equitable, and people-centred healthcare system.
“Every Nigerian living with serious illness deserves compassionate care that preserves dignity and alleviates suffering, regardless of geographical location or socioeconomic status,” she said.
Prof. Onyeka emphasized that the conference theme challenges healthcare providers to look beyond diseases, diagnoses, medications, and procedures, and instead focus on the total well-being of individuals living with serious illnesses.
According to her, patients with life-limiting conditions frequently experience anxiety, depression, fear, uncertainty, social isolation, financial hardship, family disruption, spiritual distress, and the profound emotional burden associated with an uncertain future.
“This conference therefore calls upon all of us to reaffirm one of the foundational principles of palliative care that every person deserves care that attends not only to the body, but also to the mind, the family, the community, and the spirit,” she noted.
She encouraged participants to contribute actively to discussions, challenge conventional thinking, build new partnerships, and leave the conference inspired to translate knowledge into meaningful action within their respective institutions and communities.
In her remarks, the Chairman of the HPCAN Abuja Chapter and Local Organising Committee (LOC), Prof. Felicia Asudo, described the conference as timely and significant, coming at a critical moment for the advancement of palliative care in Nigeria.
She observed that there is growing recognition that quality healthcare cannot be complete without compassionate, holistic, and patient-centred services that uphold human dignity.
Prof. Asudo stressed that palliative care continues to bridge the gap between medical treatment and humane care, ensuring that patients do not suffer unnecessarily and that every individual receives support marked by empathy, respect, and excellence.
“This conference is not merely a gathering of professionals; it is a meeting of advocates, educators, policymakers, researchers, volunteers, and caregivers united by a common purpose to relieve suffering and restore hope,” she stated.
She added that participants would engage in stimulating scientific sessions, practical workshops, panel discussions, and networking opportunities aimed at strengthening clinical practice, education, research, advocacy, and policy development in hospice and palliative care.
“As we deliberate, let us remember that behind every statistic is a patient, behind every diagnosis is a family, and behind every challenge is an opportunity for collaboration and innovation.
“The conversations we have here will influence clinical practice, education, research, advocacy, and policy long after this conference concludes,” she added.
The annual gathering reaffirmed HPCAN’s unwavering commitment to promoting accessible, comprehensive, and compassionate palliative care services across Nigeria.
It also provided a strategic platform for strengthening collaborations and partnerships aimed at enhancing the psychosocial well-being and overall quality of life of patients and their families.
The conference further underscored the importance of multidisciplinary approaches to palliative care, bringing together healthcare professionals, policymakers, researchers, and advocates to share knowledge and best practices in the field.
A major highlight of the event was the presentation of several books and scholarly publications on palliative care development and practice.
The works, authored by distinguished healthcare professionals from various institutions across the country, focused on innovative strategies for strengthening palliative care delivery, improving psychosocial support services, and advancing patient-centred care in Nigeria.
