After his diagnosis, 79-year-old Raghav  Sharma with advanced cancer was referred to a hospital with a palliative care unit, but due to a lack of trained staff and limited resources, he experienced long wait times and inadequate pain management.

While his family tried to provide care at home, they struggled to manage his symptoms without professional guidance.

Palliative care is a medical approach aimed at improving the quality of life with the compassionate support for individuals with serious illnesses like third or fourth stage of cancer.

However, despite the National Health Policy’s inclusion of palliative care, Sharma’s experience for care reflects the broader issue where only about 4% of the estimated 10 million people needing such care in India receive it.

Dr Rajagopal, founder of Pallium India, which provides pain relief and palliative care for free, laments that despite its inclusion in the National Health Policy in 2017, the MBBS curriculum in 2019, and the BSc Nursing curriculum in 2021, there remains a significant gap in palliative care.

“At least 10 million people in India require palliative care, yet only 4 per cent currently receive it,” he said at an event recently.

Rajagopal noted that community volunteers are essential for advancing palliative care.

Dr Soumya Swaminathan, chairperson of the MS Swaminathan Research Foundation and former ICMR head, emphasised that palliative care not only addresses the physical pain of patients but also considers the broader suffering experienced by both patients and their families.

Ahead of the World Hospice and Palliative Care Day on October 12, DS Negi, CEO, of Delhi-based Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute & Research Centre (RGCIRC) said, “Doctors and medical support staff face numerous challenges in providing comprehensive hospice and palliative care.

“Apart from the emotional resistance from family to forming support groups, the infrastructure in India is also lacking.

There is an urgent need to bridge the gap between patient needs and healthcare provider practices to enhance the delivery of palliative care in India, “ added Negi.

Doing its bit to create awareness about the importance of hospice and palliative care in the country, the RGCIRC organised a daylong event ‘Hospice & Palliative Care Event 24’ (HOPE’24) here recently.

Discussing the need for advanced care planning (ACP) during the cancer treatment, Dr Kinshuki Jain, Head, Department of Pain and Palliative care, RGCIRC said, “This is especially relevant for life-limiting illness eg- cancer where ACP may ensure that patients do not endure treatment that may not align with their wishes or quality of life preferences.

“It’s crucial to empower patients and their families to engage in these conversations early on, minimizing the occurrence of futile treatments.”

A recent study by doctors at AIIMS Jhajjar too has found that providing empathetic treatment to seriously ill patients can improve their quality of life.

“It is an effective approach to treatment by establishing better connectivity with critically ill patients,” it said.