In this short film we discover how effective the bottom-up, grassroots development of palliative care services can be as demonstrated by the example of Kerala state in Southern India.
“I think one good thing about hospice care and palliative care right across the world is that it was always originally developed in the community through volunteering and donor support,” reflects Eugene Murray (Ireland). “The states and governments tend to come in later. So it’s really important in developing palliative acre services that communities come together and demonstrate what can be done so the government will then have to respond.”
“If there’s no public demand, hospitals and medical systems will continue to do what is most profitable to them and what they find more interesting,” states Dr MR Rajagopal (India). “Unless the common man demands the freedom from pain, I believe the doctors and nurses will not have the motivation to do something about it.”
Click on this link to view the film.
LIFE Before Death comprises 50 short films themed around pain control and end of life issues, releasing one a week for a year from May 2011. A feature film was released in early 2012, and will be followed by the release of a television documentary in late 2012.
To find out more and view all the films in the series visit Treat the Pain website.
