The 34th Annual International Conference of the Indian Association of Palliative Care (IAPCON 2027) will be held from 19–21 February 2027 at the Convention Complex of SOA University in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, with pre-conference workshops on 18 February, organisers reported.
High-tech medicine meets person-centred care
The conference theme, “Humanising High-Tech Medicine: Where Algorithm Meets Empathy”, signals a deliberate focus on reconciling rapid technological advances — including artificial intelligence, precision prognostication, regenerative therapies and digital health — with the foundational palliative-care principles of dignity, compassion and individualised support. The three-day programme will include scientific sessions, keynote addresses, plenaries, debates, workshops, free papers and e-posters, with multidisciplinary participation from doctors, nurses, students, therapists, volunteers and other professionals involved in palliative care.
For South African clinicians and policy-makers, the conference presents an opportunity to engage with international practice and emerging evidence on how technology can support, rather than displace, human-centred end-of-life care. The theme reflects persistent global concerns about algorithmic decision-making in health and the need to safeguard relational aspects of care even as systems adopt digital tools.
What delegates will explore
- How artificial intelligence and machine learning might improve prognostication and symptom management in palliative settings.
- Ways digital-health platforms can extend access to palliative services, particularly in resource-constrained environments.
- Ethical and practical challenges posed by high-tech interventions, including equity, consent and the preservation of dignity.
- Interprofessional approaches and training to ensure compassionate care remains central as technologies are introduced.
Workshops scheduled for the day before the main conference will allow participants to gain hands-on exposure to selected techniques and digital tools, and to discuss implementation challenges in diverse health systems.
Relevance for South Africa
South Africa’s health sector is navigating its own digital transition, from telemedicine pilots to the integration of electronic patient records. Palliative-care services here remain unevenly distributed between urban centres and rural or underserved areas; digital tools and improved prognostic methods could help bridge access gaps if deployed with care and oversight.
Delegates from South Africa who attend IAPCON 2027 would be able to compare notes on technology policy, workforce training and ethical frameworks that protect patient dignity. They could also assess how high-tech approaches can be adapted to local realities, where infrastructure, human resources and health-system funding vary widely between provinces.
Conference organisers have framed the event as intentionally multidisciplinary, reflecting a recognition that technology adoption in palliative care depends as much on nursing, allied-health professions and community-based workers as on physicians and technologists.
Programme format and participation
The IAPCON programme mixes traditional academic presentations with interactive sessions to foster dialogue between clinicians, researchers and service providers. In addition to scheduled talks, free-paper and e-poster sessions offer a space for emerging research and practical innovations from around the world.
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Pre-conference workshops | 18 February 2027 |
| Main conference | 19–21 February 2027 |
Organisers encourage participation from a broad range of professionals and students; the conference is likely to be of particular interest to those involved in palliative-care delivery, digital-health implementation and health policy.
As high-income countries and low- and middle-income settings contend with similar ethical questions about the role of algorithms in clinical care, forums such as IAPCON 2027 provide a practical venue for South African practitioners to engage with international colleagues on how to ensure that technological innovation strengthens, rather than undermines, compassionate care.
