Karnataka forms advisory panel to boost palliative care
The Karnataka Government has constituted a State-level technical advisory committee to guide the planning, implementation and monitoring of palliative care services in the State, officials said on Wednesday.
The move follows a proposal noting that palliative care aims to improve the quality of life of patients and their families facing serious and life-limiting illnesses, they said. The Committee, chaired by Retired IAS officer Dr Raj Kumar Khatri, comprises members from Government health departments, leading Bengaluru-based medical institutions, and a representative from NGOs working in palliative care, officials said.
According to an official order dated March 23, the committee that will act as the main technical advisory body for palliative care in Karnataka would advise the Government on preparation, implementation and review of the State Palliative Care Policy and guidelines.
It would be responsible to recommend standards, treatment protocols and service delivery models for providing palliative care services at primary, secondary and tertiary levels.
The committee, the order said, would advise the Government on policy matters and coordination between departments, including issues related to procurement, storage and use of Essential Narcotic Drugs (ENDs) required for palliative care.
The panel will guide the integration of palliative care services with existing State and national health programmes, including the non-communicable diseases programme, it said.
The order said that the committee will also have to review and provide technical guidance on State and district-level action plans for the expansion of palliative care services.
Besides this, it would also advise on infrastructure development, human resources, training requirements and referral systems for strengthening palliative care services.
The order said the committee will also review programme performance, service coverage, availability of essential medicines and quality of care from time to time.
In addition, the committee would recommend monitoring and evaluation systems and encourage research, documentation and sharing of best practices in palliative care.
Officials noted that palliative care focuses on relieving suffering through early identification, assessment and treatment of pain and other problems such as physical, psychological and social issues.
The State is taking steps to improve availability, accessibility and quality of palliative care services in line with the National Programme for Palliative Care, they said.
Citing models from other States, they said the approach adopted in Kerala - which includes home-based, outpatient and inpatient care supported by trained community volunteers and digital systems - has demonstrated the potential to reach a large number of patients.
