New Delhi: To address the need of around 90 per cent of patients across the country in palliative care, which aims to improve the quality of life of patients suffering from terminal ailments, Delhi Government is mulling to bring cancer treatment closer to the house of patients.
This April, this healthcare facility would be started in all the major hospitals of Delhi Government including Lok Nayak Hospital, DDU, GTBH, Ambedkar Hospital and Sanjay Gandhi Hospital, said Kirti Bhushan, DG Health Services. Moreover, all the doctors, nurses, paramedical staff and technicians would be trained in palliative care.
According to the official, health department is woring on a plan to bring cancer treatment closer to the patients' house. The department is also working to provide counseling to cancer patients at its dispensaries and mohalla clinics.
He also added that under this project, trained medical professional would provide counseling to terminally ill patients, who cannot be treated by medical intervention and cancer drugs.
"At present, this facility is only available at AIIMS and to initiate the project, the Delhi government has collaborated with AIIMS cancer department and formed a joint committee to frame a policy for treating patients in palliative care" he added.
Speaking at a workshop organised by Indian Association of Palliative Care here, Dr Sushma Bhatnagar, Professor and Head, Department of Onco-Anaesthesia and Palliative Medicine, AIIMS, said there is a growing need for concerned stakeholders to work on further promoting a culture of palliative and home care.
She said, "The workshop is part of the opportunity to debate on how to create, collaborate and communicate new ideas and advances in the field of palliative care. It will showcase the unique research and development works being done in India and will gain experience from experts from other countries."
Dr Sachidanand Jee Bharti, Assistant Professor, AIIMS said that some challenges still need to be addressed, such as the lack of public awareness about advantages of palliative care and social misconceptions about pain relief.