Pics: Niranjan M N
Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi
Udupi, Oct 11: Manipal Hospice and Respite Care (MHRC), a specialised facility under MAHE providing free hospice, palliative, rehabilitative, and supportive care, has successfully completed its first year of clinical services. Since its inception, the facility has cared for 694 patients and supported over 1,300 family caregivers, with all services provided entirely free of charge.
Inaugurated in April 2025, MHRC began admitting patients on September 1, 2025. Starting with 10 operational beds, the centre has now expanded to 40 beds. It plans to increase its capacity to 65 beds in 2026, with a special emphasis on neuropalliative care, and further expand to 100 beds by 2027. Its multidisciplinary, patient- and family-centred approach addresses the medical, nursing, physical, psychological, and social needs of people living with serious and life-limiting illnesses.
Admission to MHRC is channelled through the outpatient clinic of the department of palliative medicine and supportive care at KMC Manipal, open from Monday to Saturday between 9 am and 5 pm.
MHRC also seeks to address misconceptions surrounding hospice care, clarifying that it is not an old-age home, but a specialised healthcare facility providing professional medical and palliative care. Alongside clinical services, MAHE and MHRC are developing education, training, and capacity-building initiatives to strengthen palliative care skills among healthcare professionals.
The development and services of MHRC have been supported by the Harish & Bina Shah Foundation, Siemens, the Manipal Foundation, and other donors. MAHE also announced an important new partnership with Axis Bank in support of MHRC, the details of which will be shared in due course.
Dr H S Ballal, pro-chancellor, MAHE, said, "Palliative care must be seen as an extension of healthcare if it is to become available and accessible to everyone who needs it. Healthcare institutions and universities have an important responsibility to take up this kind of care, and MAHE has taken the lead by establishing MHRC, making MAHE the only university in India to have created a hospice of this kind within its health system. Importantly, we have chosen to provide these services entirely free of cost. A person's dignity, including dignity at the end of life, should never be compromised simply because they cannot afford care. We call upon the community to take ownership of this mission and partner with MAHE in ensuring that compassionate palliative care remains accessible to all."
Dr Sharath K Rao, vice-chancellor, MAHE, stated, "MAHE has always been a pioneering institution, and our responsibility extends beyond providing healthcare to creating knowledge and building capacity for the future. Much of the existing knowledge and many models of palliative care have emerged from Western settings. Through MHRC, we want to understand and develop what works in the context of India and Southeast Asia. We will address training needs in palliative care, equip healthcare providers with the knowledge and skills required to deliver this care, and develop practical, replicable models that other institutions can adapt."
Dr Seema R Rao, director and consultant in palliative medicine, MHRC, added, "Pain is one of the biggest fears for patients with a serious illness, and in most cases, it can be managed well. In our first year, we have seen what it means to a family when their loved one is comfortable and free of pain. Palliative care is not about giving up; it is about adding comfort and dignity to every day in a patient's life. We also stand with the caregivers, who often quietly carry a heavy load. We encourage families and doctors to approach us early, and not only in the last few days."
Through World Hospice and Palliative Care Day (WHPCD) 2026, MAHE and MHRC aim to improve public understanding of palliative care, address misconceptions, and encourage healthcare institutions and communities to recognise palliative care as an integral part of comprehensive healthcare.
Dr H S Ballal, pro-chancellor, MAHE; Dr Sharath K Rao, vice-chancellor, MAHE; Maj Gen (Dr) Mathews Jacob, VSM (Retd), pro vice-chancellor of health sciences, MAHE; Dr Avinash Shetty, medical superintendent, Kasturba Hospital, Manipal; Dr Seema R Rao, director and consultant in palliative medicine, MHRC; and Dr Naveen Salins, director of research and professor of palliative medicine and supportive care, were present at the press meet.