THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Rajeswari Foundation, the pioneer in pain and palliative care in the district, is all set to decentralise its services to take palliative care to needy patients in every nook and corner of the city. The Foundation will open 21 sub-centres in the city to cater to all the 86 wards under the Corporation.
``We are introducing a centre for every four wards. These centres will be managed by the volunteers there and the list of beneficiaries will also be decided locally,’’ said K. Vijayakumaran Nair, president, Rajeswari Foundation.
The first of the sub-centres will be inaugurated by Mayor C. Jayan Babu at 9.30 a.m. on September 11 at Vattavila. The centre will offer palliative care to patients in Thirumala, Mudavanmugal, Punnakkamugal and Chenkallur wards. Senior Citizens’ Forum unit secretary A.K. Asari will be the convenor of Vattavila centre.
``The Friday clinic run by doctors will continue to function at Jagathy. At the sub-centres, we will mainly offer home care by nurses. There will be trained nurses on call and they will give palliative care to the needy. Financial assistance will also be provided to poor patients in the area,’’ said Nair.
A 25-member volunteer team will be responsible for managing each sub-centre.
The Foundation plans to open four more sub-centres before October 10, which is the Palliative Care Day. The preliminary work for the Arannur sub-centre has also been completed and the centre will be opened in a fortnight. The Arannur centre will cater to Arannur, Karamana, Valiyasala and Poojappura wards.
Jagathy, Pattom and Mukkolakkal are the other centres which the Rajeswari Foundation proposes to start before the Palliative Care Day. Jagathy, Thycaud, Vazhuthacaud and Sasthamangalam wards will come under the Jagathy centre and Pattom, Kesavadasapuram, Gowreesapattom and Medical College wards will come under the Pattom centre. The Mukkolakkal centre will provide palliative care to patients in Manacaud, Sreevarahom, Muttakkada and Valiyasala wards.
The Rajeswari Foundation has been proving financial and medical assistance to cancer patients for more than two years. Every Friday, there is a medical camp for cancer patients run by doctors representing Pallium India at the Foundation office at Jagathy. A monthly sustenance allowance is also paid to around 75 poor families where the breadwinners have been affected with the deadly disease.
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