Mumbai: With the aim of improving the quality of life of patients suffering from chronic, life-limiting illnesses, the Maharashtra government on Monday approved the launch of the State Palliative Care Programme. Under the scheme, dedicated beds will be reserved for such patients in district, sub-district and rural hospitals, along with comprehensive palliative care services.
According to a government resolution (GR) issued on February 2 announcing the scheme, the number of patients suffering from cancer, heart disease, diabetes, neurological disorders, respiratory illnesses and age-related conditions has been steadily rising in the state. Many of these illnesses cannot be cured completely and require long-term treatment and continuous care.
Palliative care is a medical discipline that does not aim to cure disease, but seeks to improve the quality of life of patients with serious and life-limiting illnesses.
“Palliative care can be delivered at relatively low cost through hospitals as well as at the community level, including home-based care and primary health centres,” the GR stated. “In order to make accessible and quality palliative care services available to the general population of the state, it was under consideration to launch [the] State Palliative Care Programme.
The scheme aligns with the National Programme for Palliative Care (NPPC) guidelines issued by the Union health ministry, and will be implemented using funds available under the National Health Mission (NHM), the GR added.
According to the order, palliative care services will be provided at all levels of the public health system, including district hospitals, sub-district and rural hospitals, primary health centres (PHCs), urban health centres and at the community level. District hospitals will reserve four to six beds for palliative care patients, while sub-district hospitals will have at least two dedicated beds. Outpatient and inpatient services, counselling, physiotherapy, nutrition support and round-the-clock nursing care will be ensured.
The programme will cover patients with terminal cancer; organ failure involving the heart, kidneys, liver and lungs; neurological disorders such as stroke, Parkinson’s disease, dementia and motor neuron disease; chronic pain among senior citizens; paediatric palliative care needs; long-term disability and post-injury care; and other serious, life-threatening illnesses.
The programme also emphasises home-based care, with trained teams comprising medical officers, nurses and medical social workers conducting regular home visits.
Essential medicines, including oral morphine and other pain-relief drugs, will be made available at PHC and hospital levels, in accordance with regulatory guidelines. Tele-consultation services, emergency helplines, referral linkages through 108 and 102 ambulance services, and coordination with NGOs and corporate social responsibility (CSR) partners are also part of the programme.