KOZHIKODE: ‘Sanjeevani,’ a palliative care project, conceptualised by the Kozhikode-based Institute of Palliative Medicine (IPM), is all set to be launched in rural West Bengal. If things pan out as planned, ‘Sanjeevani’ will extend its support to deserving patients, on September 21 in Nadia district in West Bengal.
‘Sanjeevani’ is the brainchild of Malayali IAS officers P B Salim IAS, Bijin Krishna IAS and Amarnath IPS, who are work in Nadia, 24 Pargana and Murshidabad districts.
IPM director Dr Sureshkumar said essential training was provided to select volunteers and doctors in collaboration with the Indian Medical Association of Nadia.
“Around 1,000 trained volunteers are ready for the first-ever community-based palliative care programme in Nadia. The programme is set to commence in Krishnanagar, the district headquarters of Nadia, and the neighbouring villages of Badkulla, Bagulla, Dignagar, Dogachi, Bahadurpur and Chapra,” he said.
Saying doctors and volunteers were enthusiastic in participating the scheme, IPM chief instructor Saif Mohammed, who assumed a lead role in launching the scheme in West Bengal, said 14 doctors attended the two-day workshop held on the basis of palliative care in Krishnanagar IMA Bhavan on June 14 and 15.
“More than 150 volunteers participated in an elaborate train-the-trainer programme held on July 26, 27 and 28.
Spreading out to the villages and conducting satellite training programmes, they could yield a total workforce of 1,000 volunteers across the selected locations,” Saif added.
In a bid to ensure the service was provide to the right persons, the volunteers conducted a detailed survey in the targeted locations.
“Every volunteer was assigned duty to provide care for two patients, primary and secondary. This system ensures due care for the patients, with care from at least one volunteer,” Saif added.
Detailing the scheme, Nadia District Collector P B Salim said, “Sanjeevani aims to introduce a new culture of providing care for the persons in need, with the financial support of the local self governing bodies and technical support of NGOs. To achieve the target the potential of local physicians, nurses and volunteers will be utilised,” he said.
Exuding his confidence in getting maximum support from government organisations, Salim added that the government was obliged to provide affordable health care and relief to the needy.
The organisers are looking to replicate the project with the cooperation of LSGs and government agencies in other parts of the state if it succeeds in Nadia.
“The response as well as the cooperation from the local bodies was overwhelming and has averted all apprehensions. We hope to cover the whole district and launch a similar project in the neighbouring district of Murshidabad within one year,” said Dr Suresh Kumar confidently.
