Abstract
Palliative care is a vital element of comprehensive cancer management; however, its integration into healthcare education remains limited in numerous low- and middle-income countries, including Sri Lanka.The aim of this study was to outline the Eastern Cancer Care Hospice (EASCCA) model, identify challenges to engaging healthcare students, and propose a framework to increase awareness for incorporating hospice-based palliative care into healthcare education. A descriptive study Design was used, integrating experiential insights from the author’s involvement in a two-day EASCCA training program with secondary data from institutional reports, World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, and peer-reviewed literature. EASCCA offers comprehensive, community-focused palliative care that includes medical, psychological, spiritual, and social support. Key barriers to student participation included limited communication within institutions, low program visibility, geographic challenges, and the absence of formal curricular integration. A three-part awareness framework was created. It is concluded that building awareness and establishing formal partnerships between EASCCA and healthcare education institutions can improve student engagement, enhance capacity building, and promote equitable access to high-quality palliative care in Sri Lanka.
Keywords
Palliative care education; Hospice model; Healthcare students; Community-based care; Sri Lanka.