Australasian Palliative Link International (APLI) Inc.

About Australasian Palliative Link International (APLI) Inc. and palliative care capacity building in Australasia

Australasian Palliative Link International (APLI) Inc. is an Australian registered charity dedicated to alleviating suffering from advanced illness across Australasia by strengthening palliative care in Australia, New Zealand and the Asia-Pacific region. It works with palliative care providers, health professionals and supporters to build skills, foster collaboration and raise awareness of the urgent need for quality palliative care. Established as an NGO in 1996, it has decades of experience in empowering global palliative care development.

Project Hamrahi – mentoring to strengthen palliative care services

APLI’s flagship initiative, Project Hamrahi, was established in 2010 with Pallium India to support new and developing palliative care services in India. Through mentoring, observerships and ongoing collaboration, this project promotes mutual learning and improves palliative care for people living with advanced illness.

Mission and vision

APLI’s mission is to empower palliative care development in the Asia-Pacific by fostering links between providers in Australia and New Zealand and emerging services across the region. It envisions a region where quality palliative care, essential medicines and compassionate support are integrated into health systems and humanitarian responses, ensuring people with life-limiting illness receive appropriate care and symptom relief.

Main objectives

• To develop and foster links between palliative care providers and organisations in Australia, New Zealand and the Asia-Pacific.
• To raise awareness of the needs of new palliative care services and the need for further development of the discipline in the region.
• To provide a forum for the exchange of information and ideas between palliative care providers.
• To advocate for access to essential medicines and integration of palliative care into universal health coverage and humanitarian standards.

Benefiting groups

• People with advanced or chronic illness across Australasia and the Asia-Pacific, through improved access to palliative care.
• Palliative care providers and multidisciplinary health professionals in Australia, New Zealand and partner countries, via mentoring, education and collaboration.
• Health systems and humanitarian responders, through guidance on integrating palliative care into crises and emergencies.
• Families and communities indirectly benefit as services gain skills in symptom control, psychosocial support and end-of-life care.

Types of services or activities

• Facilitating international palliative care volunteering and mentoring, both online and through face-to-face visits.
• Providing virtual mentoring and education for health professionals, including workshops and continuing medical education in Australia and overseas.
• Advocating for quality global palliative care, including in humanitarian aid situations and emergencies.
• Raising awareness via forums, newsletters, conferences and an annual forum on cross-cultural teaching and palliative care development.
• Sponsoring and hosting palliative care providers from India and other countries for observerships and conference participation in Australia.
• Building partnerships, including strong links with Pallium India and involvement in the Western Pacific Palliative Care Advocacy Network.
• Engaging members in fundraising, awareness activities and voluntary roles to strengthen palliative care in the Asia-Pacific.