Asia's first research centre for palliative care aims to raise awareness of cultural differences in beliefs towards dying and come up with better informed healthcare policies and medical practices, organizers said on Wednesday. ( dpa )
Called the Lien Centre for Palliative Care, the facility is a joint project between Duke-National University of Singapore Medical School through the US-based university's end-of life and palliative care programmes.
The centre, which opened this month, will receive 17.5 million Singapore dollars (12.7 million US dollars) in funding over the next five years from the Lien Foundation, an organization that helps provide for the needy. The money will be matched dollar-for-dollar by the government.
Research will include collecting data on where people are dying in Singapore, whether they receive palliative support, the level of services received and the reasons people opt out of such services, said Lee Poh Wah, the foundation's programme director.
While the population is predominantly Chinese, it also includes 14 per cent Malay, 6 per cent Indians are well as smaller numbers of other ethnic groups.
With one of the fasting ageing populations in the world, Dr Noreen Chan said the need to start planning for palliative care in the city-state is urgent.
"We assume that most people want to die at home, but we don't know right now what Singaporeans really think of death and dying, so this research will provide good input on that," The Straits Times quoted Chan as saying.
Courses will be conducted for doctors and nurses interested in caring for the dying.
Headed by Duke-NUS associate professor Cynthia Goh, the centre will build on existing programmes organized by the Asia-Pacific Hospice Palliative Care Network.
An estimated 70 per cent of terminally ill patients in Singapore die without receiving hospice palliative care.