‘Need for palliative care in medical course’

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, June 27

Chief Minister Harish Rawat has expressed desire to introduce palliative care as a subject in the syllabi of medical and nursing courses in the state so that the maximum number of cancer patients could be provided relief. He was speaking at the concluding function of a two-day international symposium being organised jointly by the Shri Guru Ram Rai Institute of Medical & Health Sciences and the Indian Medical Association (IMA) on “International Update on Pain Management and Palliative Care Advances-2016” here today.

In the symposium, specialists from India and abroad gave information on the care being imparted to patients under palliative care. The specialists said palliative care was a big relief to patients suffering from unbearable pain as a result of cancer, infection in bone, abscess in bone and other diseases a treatment for which was not yet available in medical science. Palliative care is a new initiative in medical science for such patients.

Speaking at the concluding session, Harish Rawat appreciated the joint initiative of Shri Guru Ram Rai Institute of Medical & Health Sciences and the IMA.

Organising chairperson of the symposium Dr Pankaj Arora said a lot was being done in foreign countries in the discipline of palliative care. It had reached the hospitals of the metro cities of the country but in Uttarakhand, it was still in its initial phase. There were some drugs available to reduce the pain and suffering of the patients of incurable diseases.

He said in the past five years, palliative care had emerged in India and specialisation could now be done in the discipline. A separate body with the name ‘Indian Association of Palliative Care’ had been established.

President of IMA, Dehradun, Dr JP Sharma said palliative care was an absolutely new beginning in Uttarakhand. He urged the doctors of the state to help make palliative care reach maximum number of patients so that their unbearable pain could be minimised.

Organising secretary of the symposium Dr Mayank Gupta presented the vote of thanks. Dr Mohit Goyal, secretary, Dehradun IMA, doctors and staff members of Shri Mahant Indiresh Hospital and SGRR Medical College attended the symposium.

Dr Abir Doger, associate medical director at John Taylor Hospice, England, gave presentation over the topic ‘Role of interventions in Cancer Pain Management’.

The symposium was attended by the representatives of more than 250 medical institutions of UK, USA, New Delhi, Kerala, Kolkata and Jaipur.