Media Release

Udupi, Oct 10: As part of the World Hospice and Palliative Care Day (WHPCD) activity, the department of Palliative Medicine and Supportive Care, Kasturba Hospital, Manipal on October 10 organized a sapling planting programme by patient relatives in fond memory of their loved ones at the Children’s Park, near End-Point gate.

Later, herbal plants were distributed to the cancer patients at Shirdi Sai Baba OPD block. World Hospice and Palliative Care Day marked on the second Saturday of every October, brings awareness to palliative care issues and aims to expand options worldwide.

Dr Sharath K Rao, dean of KMC was the chief guest of the programme. He said, “In the world, 32.5 million people require palliative care, but unfortunately now only 10% of the people get palliative care. We started in Kasturba hospital especially for cancer patients and now extend to other patients who are suffering from chronic disease."

C G Muthana, chief operating officer and Dr Avinash Shetty, medical superintendent of Kasturba Hospital, Manipal were the guests of honour of the programme. Dr Naveen S Salins, professor and head, Dr Seema Rao, consultant of Palliative Care Day and Dr Seema Rao, a consultant from the department were present.

World Hospice and Palliative Care Day (WHPCD) is a unified day of action to celebrate and support palliative care around the world. The theme for this year 'My Care, My Comfort', emphasizes the need for palliative care to be integrated into the mainstream of healthcare systems of every country to relieve the pain and suffering of patients and their families. Palliative care ensures access to the best standard of care and the highest level of comfort for the patient, ensures the best support to the family members to provide care and comfort to their loved ones and support the healthcare providers in providing care and comfort to the patients/families. Palliative care is particularly relevant in this pandemic, with WHO reiterating that any approach that does not include palliative care is 'medically deficient and ethically indefensible'.

Dr Seema Rao, consultant of World Hospice and Palliative Care Day gave an overview and proposed the vote of thanks. Relatives of the patients who have taken palliative care at Kasturba Hospital shared their experience.