The Manipal College of Nursing, MAHE, Manipal and Kasturba Medical College, Manipal organized the valedictory function of training program series for Primary Health Care Workers (PHCWs) on the topic “Effectiveness of capacity building- Integrating palliative care and symptom management” on 28th July 2023 at 10.30 am at the KMC lecture halls, interact building (1D), KMC Manipal. Dr. Sashidhara Y N, HoD Department of Community Health Nursing, MCON, Manipal welcomed the gathering. Dr. Malathi G Nayak, Professor, Community Health Nursing, MCON, and Principal Investigator of the project, presented the overall report of the project. A total of 984 ASHAs and 660 Primary Health Care Workers were trained under this project. A total of 1644 primary health care workers have been trained in palliative care since 23rd June 2022.

The chief guest of the program was Dr. Nagabhushan Udupa H, District Health, and Family Welfare officer, Udupi district highlighted the importance of PHCWs in succeeding the programs at the community level. He advised the participants to work hard in the community to reach out to the population who need Palliative Care. Further, the Guest of Honor for the event, Dr. Avinash Shetty, Medical Superintendent, Kasturba Hospital Manipal, and Dr. Ashwini Kumar, Head of the Department of Community Medicine, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, also addressed the gathering. Dr. Naveen Salins, Associate Dean- Research KMC Manipal and Head of the Department of Palliative Medicine, KMC, and also the co-investigator of this project was present during the event.

The Program was coordinated by the Principle Investigator Dr Malathi G Nayak, co-investigators Dr Radhika R Pai, and the project staff Mrs. Shwetha Prabhu, and Ms. Anita Serrao. The Valedictory Program ended by 11.30 am, and the last batch of training sessions continued after the Valedictory. A total of 90 participants, including 70 primary healthcare workers, participated in the valedictory Program.

This event contributed to achieve the following SDGs

SDG 3 = Good health and wellbeing

SDG 4 = Quality Education