Two districts in Kerala, India have achieved total palliative care status by providing palliative care through all the Local Self Government Institutions within the District.
Idukki was the first district in the country achieving this status, announced in April 2012, followed by Wayanad District in May 2012. A total of 642 Local Self Government Institutions out of 1043 in the state are now providing palliative care services.
These achievements are directly linked with the palliative care policy of the government of Kerala which was announced in 2008. Arogyakeralam Palliative Care Project launched under the National Rural Health Mission’s scheme in the state has been the implementing arm of the policy since 2008.
The project is in its fifth year. While the main task in the initial four years was developing Primary Palliative Care Service (basic nurse lead home care and out patient service at primary health centres run by Local Self Government Institutions), the focus now is to develop secondary and tertiary level services in the major Government District and Taluk hospitals in the state.
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Secondary level programme: The secondary level programme includes developing inpatient and outpatient services in the Government District and Taluk Hospitals. The hospital based specialist team also provides home care for patients referred from Home Care Units of Local Self Government Institutions.
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Tertiary level programme: In addition to the delivery of secondary level palliative care service, the tertiary level programme includes regular professional training activities for doctors, nurses and auxiliary (community) nurses in palliative care.
For more information visit the Indian Association of Palliative Care website.
