The Opening Event for the Hospice and Palliative Care Programme Took Place

On 4 March 2026, the Opening Event for the “Hospice and Palliative Care Programme”, implemented during Phase II of the Swiss Contribution, took place at Ministry of Interior.

The aim of the programme is to develop the domestic hospice and palliative care system, to improve the standard of care and ensure equal access to care.

The hospice and palliative care programme is being implemented with 3.3 billion forints in Swiss funding and 580 million forints in national co-financing.

More than 110 participants attended the Opening Event, including representatives of the successful applicants. Roland Python, Head of the Swiss Contribution Office, was present, too.

The Event was opened by Judit Tóth, Deputy State Secretary for EU Development Coordination at the Ministry of Interior and Head of Programme Operator. In her welcoming speech, she presented the programme and wished the participants every success in its implementation.

The guests were also welcomed by László Lengyel, Deputy State Secretary at the Ministry of Interior, and Pál Győrfi, spokesperson for the National Ambulance Service.

At the Opening Event, Dr Gergő Korponai, Deputy Head of the National Coordination Unit, presented the Swiss Fund and outlined the roles of the institutions involved in the preparation and implementation of the programme.

The professional programme of the Event continued with presentations outlining the main directions of development and the next steps in the programme’s implementation.

Miklós Lukács, Vice-President of the Hungarian Hospice and Palliative Association, spoke about the establishment of integrated palliative care units and the professional and methodological coherence of the developments.

Mária Deli, Director of Nursing at the National Directorate General for Hospitals, presented the programmes currently underway in the field of training and professional development related to hospice and palliative care.

Prof. Dr Imre Boncz, Vice-President for Strategy at University of Pécs, gave a presentation on the significance and implementation of day care centres.

Anna Szőllősi, Director of Nursing and Professional Staff at University of Debrecen, outlined the challenges and opportunities involved in establishing integrated palliative care units.

To conclude the Event, the invited speakers discussed the current situation and future directions of hospice and palliative care in Hungary during a round-table discussion entitled “At home or in an institution?”

During the Event, staff from the National Ambulance Service presented their developments, funded by Swiss support, in the foyer, and participants were also able to practise CPR and the use of a defibrillator. At the information desk of the Hungarian Hospice and Palliative Association, guests could ask questions and there was also an opportunity for professional networking.

As part of the cultural programme of the opening event, guests were given a guided tour by an expert to learn about the main architectural features of the Ministry of Interior’s building on Szentháromság Square.