The Hindu : Kerala / Kochi News : Panchayats’ aid for palliative care sought

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Monday, Oct 13, 2008
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Panchayats’ aid for palliative care sought

Special Correspondent

Speakers pointed out that the palliative care movement was picking up momentum in Ernakulam district.

KOCHI: Panchayats and other local bodies can give a boost to the pain and palliative care movement in the State by making budgetary provision for supporting the local palliative care units, A.M. Yousuf, Aluva MLA, has said.

Mr. Yousuf, who opened a workshop on ‘Community participation in palliative care’ organised by the Consortium of Pain and Palliative Care Units in Ernakulam district at Aluva on Sunday, pointed out that Eloor, Choornikkara and Kadungalloor grama panchayats in the district had shown the way for others by earmarking money for the task.

He urged other grama panchayats to follow suit and noted that the government’s palliative care policy supported such contributions.

The workshop, attended by over 100 volunteers was held as part of the Hospice and Palliative Care Day and the sixth anniversary of the Anwar Memorial Pain and Palliative Care Society.

C.M. Hyderali, president of the consortium, pointed out that community participation was essential for the success of the palliative care movement because palliative care was team work and the patients required a range of supports like medical, social, financial and spiritual.

K. Radhakrishna Menon, secretary, explained the main concepts and practices of palliative care, while Dr. Rajashree Suresh of Institute of Palliative Care and Mohammed Saif, State manager of the Palliative Care project of the National Rural Health Mission narrated experiences from the field and stressed the importance of home-based care.

Patient’s autonomy

Dr. Biju Raghavan pointed out the importance of patient’s autonomy in cases of food and other needs.

The Anwar Memorial Centre for excellence in Pain and Palliative Care was launched at a function held late in the afternoon.

Speakers pointed out that the palliative care movement was picking up momentum in Ernakulam district.

There were 15 units in the district—one was launched last week, two last month and one would be launched soon. Though compared to northern district, the movement was slow in expanding in Ernakulam, in the last one year, it had made strides, they said.

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