Christian Ntizimira, Executive Director of ACREOL and Faculty member of the Palliative Care Centre for Excellence in Research and Education (PalC), Singapore, shared a post on LinkedIn:
”I was deeply honored to deliver a keynote address at the National Congress of Palliative Care in Biel / Bienne, Switzerland. A meaningful space that convened leaders, clinicians, researchers, and advocates committed to advancing compassionate care.
Engaging with the Swiss palliative care community offered invaluable insights into their best practices and evolving models of care. But beyond the knowledge exchange, what resonated with me most was the power of connection. The conversations in hallways, the shared reflections after sessions, and the collective desire to do better for patients and families reminded me that palliative care is as much about relationships as it is about evidence.
My keynote explored the idea that “Less is more”, a principle often misunderstood in global health contexts.
• “Less is more” is not a passive acceptance of limited resources.
• It is not a consolation prize that justifies inadequate training or support.
• It is certainly not an excuse for healthcare providers to distance themselves from the human experience of patients.
Instead, “less is more” when dignity becomes the driving force behind care when we invest in humanity, presence, communication, and empathy as essential tools, not optional additions.
And when we embrace the essence of Ubuntu, we acknowledge that our connectedness is our strength. It guides us toward solutions that value people over systems and compassion over complexity.
Thank you, Renate Gurtner Vontobel, for the invitation to connect with the Swiss palliative care community.
It was also a pleasure to connect and reconnect with colleagues such as Lisa Hentsch, Caroline Hertler, Tanja Fusi-Schmidhauser, Nathalie Dieudonné Rahm, Dr. med. Sandra Eckstein, Luigi Stanco, Danila Zuffetti, whose work continues to inspire me.
I return home encouraged, energized, and reminded that even in the most resource-limited settings, dignity has limitless impact. ”
More posts featuring Christian Ntizimira on OncoDaily.
