THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The government has initiated measures to enhance access to palliative care by interconnecting services offered by public hospitals and NGOs through a palliative care grid.
Terming the initiative a first for the country, Health Minister Veena George on Monday informed the assembly that the grid, offering a common platform for palliative care, will be ready by next year. It will link palliative care services of over 1,000 government hospitals and more than 250 NGOs, she said.
The health department is developing software to create a unified platform that outlines available services for patients across primary, secondary, and voluntary home care units. This interconnection ensures continuity of care for palliative patients who may need to transition between locations.
For instance, a patient receiving treatment in a large urban hospital can seamlessly continue care at home in a rural area. It will also let patients in areas lacking palliative care facilities access services from other locations that do. Such linkages are considered beneficial for patients when access to trained doctors, nurses, palliative care medicine and bed facilities vary in institutions.
“The grid network helps in sharing patient data and connect for various aspects of palliative care. It also helps improve access, transparency and control possible misuse of medicines. Moreover, the network will address the disconnect existing between government hospitals and NGOs,” said Dr MR Rajagopal, the Chairman Emeritus of Pallium India.
Grid to address knowledge gap, mitigate substandard care
Additionally, the grid aims to address the knowledge gap among healthcare professionals in palliative care by providing updated treatment protocols and resources. It is also expected to mitigate substandard care from unscrupulous organisations.
Currently, 16,430 patients are registered for palliative care in Kerala, with an estimated 3 lakh individuals expected to require such services annually. The state has 1,142 primary home care units, 231 secondary home care units, and over 500 voluntary units. The government first approved a palliative care policy in 2008, which was renewed in 2019, and an action plan was formed in 2023. The palliative care grid is part of the revised 2019 plan, with implementation delayed due to the pandemic.
Palliative care is a specialised medical approach focused on providing relief from the symptoms and stress of serious illnesses. Its goal is to improve the quality of life for both patients and their families, regardless of the stage of the illness or the need for other treatments.