The National Health Security Office (NHSO), in collaboration with Mahidol University, officially launched the book “Arokayasala Wat Kham Pramong: Innovation in End-of-Life Cancer Care through Holistic Buddhist Wisdom” at the Prince Mahidol Award Conference 2026 (PMAC 2026), drawing strong interest from an international audience of health professionals, policymakers, and researchers.
The launch, held on 29 January 2026, positioned the book as both a documentation of Thailand’s long-running community-based palliative care model and a contribution to global discussions on equitable, people-centered end-of-life care.
The book highlights how holistic Buddhist wisdom, when integrated with the formal health system, can improve quality of life for patients with terminal cancer while reducing financial and emotional burdens on families.
Arokayasala Wat Kham Pramong, located in Sakon Nakhon province, is presented in the book as a pioneering example of this approach. This place has been providing end-of-life care since 2006, well before palliative care became a national policy priority. Its development demonstrates how community-led initiatives can fill gaps in the formal health system by responding directly to the needs of patients and families.
Published by the NHSO, “Arokayasala Wat Kham Pramong: Innovation in End-of-Life Cancer Care through Holistic Buddhist Wisdom” is available as a free e-book through the NHSO Media Center, reinforcing its goal of expanding access to knowledge alongside access to care.
Click here to read the book: https://media.nhso.go.th/view/1/E-BOOK2/TH-TH?catid=18
