The University of Nairobi School of Nursing Sciences was the venue for the visit of Prof. Richard Hardings, a renowned professor of palliative care from Kings college London who is currently on sabbatical in South Africa. Prof. Hardings is the principal investigator in the TOPCare study that is being conducted in Bomu hospital in collaboration with the University of Nairobi and KEHPCA.

The acting school director and about ten members of the faculty attended the meeting including all the masters’ students and some undergraduate students. Also in attendance were the other palliative care researchers and the Executive Director of KEHPCA, Dr. Zipporah Ali. Prof. Harding’s talk centered on the need to have palliative care research in the country for the benefits of our patients. He explained at length the value of palliative care to all those with life limiting illnesses and the need for the healthcare providers to have a human touch as they deal with the patients. The talk was very well received and generated a lot of interest in the subject with some of the faculty appreciating the need to start a postgraduate degree in palliative care. The palliative care research team hopes to host Prof. Hardings again in the future.