By Dr Beena Devi
The Department of Radiotherapy, Oncology and Palliative Care Unit, Sarawak General Hospital was recently awarded the ESMO Designated Centres of Integrated Oncology and Palliative Care after satisfactorily fulfilling the required 13 criteria. The prestigious “ESMO Designated Centres of Integrated Oncology and Palliative Care” program is an incentive program initiated in 2003 in which cancer centres can receive special recognition for achieving a high standard of integration of medical oncology and palliative care. The ESMO designation is valid for 3 years.
ICC – Berlin, Germany
The aim of palliative care is to achieve the best possible quality of life for patients, their caregivers and family, by providing relief from pain and other distressing symptoms, and by integrating the physical, psychological, social, emotional and spiritual aspects of care. Providing the best quality palliative care has both a moral and a clinical imperative. All designated centres have proven that they provide closely integrated oncology and palliative care clinical services. The treatment they offer incorporates expert care for relieving pain, other physical symptoms, and psychological distress.
The main objectives of the program are:-
- promoting the integration of palliative care services into the existing national cancer care guidelines
- encouraging palliative care education and training for medical oncologists as well as other healthcare professionals.
- Expanding the cooperation between ESMO and other existing professional medical association and organizations in different geographical regions in supporting and sustaining palliative care development.
Dr. Nathan Cherny presenting the award to Dr. C.R Beena Devi
The official announcement of the ESMO 2009 Designated Centres took place in Berlin (International Congress Centrum), Germany during the ECCO 15 and 34th ESMO Multidisciplinary Congress – Award session on 22nd September 2009. The ICC Berlin ranks among the biggest, most advanced and most successful congress venues in the world.
List of Recipients of the 2009 ESMO Designated Centres Award
No. Institution Country
- A.O Fatebenefratelilli e Oftalmico, Divisione di Oncologia Medica e Chemiotheraopia Milano, ITALY
- Baskent Universitesi Tip Fakultesi, Tibbi Onkoloji Bilirn Dali, Adana Uygulama ve Arastirma Merkezi Adana, TURKEY
- Clinica Universidad de Navarra Pamplona, SPAIN
- Davidoff Cancer Center, Rabin Medical Center Tikvah, ISRAEL
- Department of Clinical Oncology, Queen Mary Hospital Pokfulam, HONG KONG
- Department of Oncology, 1st Oncology Clinic, Metropolitan Faliro, GREECE
- Department of Radiotherapy, Oncology and Palliative Care Unit, Sarawak General Hospital Sarawak, MALAYSIA
- European Institute of Oncology Milano, ITALY
- Hospital Institut Curie Paris , FRANCE
- Hospital Arnau de Vilanova de Valencia Valencia, SPAIN
- Hospital Vall d’ Hebron Barcelona, SPAIN
- Institute of Oncology Ljubljana Ljubljana, SLOVENIA
- Instituto de Tratamiento Integral del Cancer (ITIC), Hospital Clinica Benidorm Benidorm, SPAIN
- Instituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura del Tumori ( I.R.S.T ) Meldola, ITALY
- Klinik for Innere Medizin, Hamatologie/ Internistische Onkologie und Palliativmedizin Bielefield, GERMANY
- London Regional Cancer Program Ontario, CANADA
- Medical Oncology Department, Ospedale Sacro Cuore- Don Calabria Negrar, ITALY
- Medizinische Klinik 5 Allg. Innere Medizin – Onkologie- Hamatologie – Stammzelltransplantation – Palliativmedizin, Klinikum Nuemberg Nuemberg, GERMANY
- National Koranyi Institute of TB and Pulmonology Budapest, HUNGARY
- Oncologia Varini & Calderoni Sorengo, SWITZERLAND
- Servicio de Oncologia y Culdados Palliativos, Hospital B. Houssey B.Aires ARGENTINA
- Southern Adelaide Health Services South Aust. AUSTRALIA
- The Harry R. Horvitz Center for Palliative Medicine Ohia, USA
- The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust London, ENGLAND
- Tumorzentrum Ludwig Hellmeyer – Comprehensive Cancer Centre Freiburg. Freiburg, GERMANY
- Westmead Cancer Care Centre NSW, AUSTRALIA