Sharma is among those who took the first steps in creating healthcare that will focus on providing quality life for patients with terminal illnesses.
She worked closely with the Commonwealth Cancer Association in hosting the palliative care conference in October last year, and invited three resource persons to discuss the concept of palliative and hospice care.
Now that she’s leaving, Sharma is asking her colleagues in the hospital, especially the Commonwealth Cancer Association volunteers, to continue advocating the palliative care.
She said she would love to continue implementing good projects on island, but due to certain circumstances, she had to resign from the Commonwealth Health Center.
Sharma declined to elaborate, but she said she is “leaving for personal reasons.”
Sharma worked with Public Health for two and a half years.
She described her experience working with CNMI patients and her colleagues as “wonderful.”
Palliative and hospice care, Sharma said, is a very important healthcare service that all public health institutions should have.
Rep. Ralph DLG. Torres, R-Saipan, has introduced House Bill 16-173, or the Family Care Act of 2008, to establish palliative and hospice care in the CNMI.
In a separate interview, Torres said now that Sharma is leaving, he is working closely with the Commonwealth Cancer Association in finding another doctor who will help them continue the program.
Torres said he and the association are committed to providing terminally ill patients with palliative care.
