South Africa Celebrates Global Recognition For Its Palliative Care Standards At ISQua 2025

Pictured in the photo are (from left): Dr Philip Crowley, ISQua Board Member, Jacqui Stewart, CEO of COHSASA and Dr Carsten Engel, CEO of ISQua.

Developed by the Association of Palliative Care Centres (APCC) in collaboration with Cohsasa, this achievement was celebrated at the 41st International ISQua Conference — the world’s leading forum for healthcare quality and patient safety — held at the World Trade Centre in São Paulo, Brazil.

Major step forward

This latest edition marks a major step forward for palliative care in South Africa and the region. The standards ensure that service providers deliver care aligned with global best practices in quality end-of-life support. Importantly, they remain the only formal palliative care standards in Southern Africa outside of existing hospital and clinic regulations.

Improve system effectiveness

Providing an internationally recognised framework, these standards strengthen patient care, enhance professional competencies, and improve overall system effectiveness. Through APCC’s mentorship programme, more healthcare providers now have the guidance and opportunity to meet these standards and pursue international accreditation.

The ISQua conference, themed “Inclusive Health Systems: Navigating Challenges with Technology and Humanity”, brought together over 1,200 healthcare leaders from more than 80 countries. With eight specialised tracks and a strong focus on innovation and collaboration, the event showcased the best of global thinking in healthcare quality improvement.