Improving Pediatric Palliative Care Access in Nepal

A collaborative project led by Dr. Manon Ranger, Camara van Breeman, and Dr. Sudhir Sapkota is helping improve access to pediatric symptom management and palliative care for children with serious illness in Nepal.

A new publication from the team evaluates a structured training program designed to strengthen health care providers’ knowledge and attitudes towards delivering pediatric palliative care in Nepal.The program included a nine-week virtual training series featuring expert-led didactic lectures, breakout room discussions, and case-based learning. Using a culturally and contextually adapted, validated questionnaire, the team assessed changes in participants’ knowledge and attitudes before and after the intervention. Forty health care providers, including nurses and physicians, participated. The study found significant improvements in knowledge, attitudes, and confidence in delivering pediatric palliative care.

These findings highlight the potential for education-focused approaches to strengthen pediatric palliative care capacity in settings where access remains limited. In Nepal alone, an estimated 43,000 children require pediatric palliative care each year, yet services remain scarce, particularly in rural and mountainous regions.

In addition, Dr. Ranger shared insights from this work on The Sunflower – Palliative Care Podcast:Episode 28: Research in Children's Palliative Care: Global Impact and Expansion. Be sure to explore other episodes as well, including those hosted by Camara, who interviews collaborators working in India.