Government working to integrate palliative care into healthcare system: Himachal Health Minister

The state government has been actively working to integrate palliative care into the healthcare system as it is a specialised medical care that aims at providing relief from pain, discomfort and stress to patients suffering from other serious ailments.

This was stated by Health Minister Dhani Ram Shandil, who is leading a senior delegation to study Pallium India’s palliative care model involving the community, in Kerala from October 23 to 26. He said the purpose of the visit was to explore palliative care, its potential and scope of its implementation in Himachal Pradesh through the state healthcare delivery system.

“The visit aims to develop a customised palliative care framework for Himachal and integrate similar practices into its healthcare system,” he said. The delegation also visited a palliative care hospital in Trivandrum and made home visits to witness the practice, procedure and effectiveness of palliative care delivery.

Shandil would also meet former Kerala Chief Secretary SM Vijayanand engaged in policy discussions regarding palliative care. Shandil said the first palliative care centre in Himachal Pradesh was set up at Dr Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College, Tanda, Kangra district, in 2015.

At present, four district hospitals and three medical colleges in the state are offering palliative care services.

Shandil said Pallium India and the National Health Mission (NHM) Himachal Pradesh signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to provide palliative care training to medical officers, community health officers, health workers, Asha workers and other medical staff. — TNS