Himachal to adopt Kerala’s palliative care model in all constituencies

Himachal Pradesh has decided to replicate Kerala’s globally acclaimed community-based palliative care model in all Assembly constituencies, marking a significant shift towards home-based healthcare for terminally ill and elderly people.

The initiative aims at providing dignified, compassionate care to bedridden and critically ill patients on their doorstep, easing the burden on institutional healthcare facilities in the hill state. To ensure smooth adoption, Himachal is identifying one doctor and one nurse in each Assembly constituency for specialised training in Kerala’s methodology.

The first batch of 30 health professionals (15 doctors and 15 nurses) recently completed a 10-day programme in Thiruvananthapuram. The intensive course covered pain management, home-care protocols, counselling techniques and strategies for mobilising community volunteers. The certificates were handed over at the closing ceremony, which was attended by senior Kerala health officials this week.

Health and Family Welfare Minister Dhani Ram Shandil expressed confidence in the programme’s transformative potential. “We aim to establish a system where every bedridden patient receives dignified and compassionate care at home,” he added.

This initiative follows a study visit by a high-level Himachal delegation to Kerala earlier this year. The team, led by Shandil, along with the Health Services Secretary and the National Health Mission Director, toured Thiruvananthapuram and Ernakulam districts to observe the functioning of Kerala’s palliative care network.

Kerala’s model, implemented under the state’s Ardram (Compassion) Mission, operates through a coordinated system of doctors, nurses and community volunteers. It has earned international recognition with endorsements from the World Health Organisation and other health bodies for successfully integrating community participation with the public health infrastructure.

During interactions with the Himachal delegation, Kerala Health Minister Veena George underscored the social dimension of the programme. “Community participation can transform care for the critically ill. This is not merely a medical initiative but a social movement,” she said.

At present, over 70 per cent of palliative care services in Kerala are delivered at the community level with volunteers playing a pivotal role in reaching patients in remote areas. This approach is particularly relevant for Himachal, where hilly terrain and dispersed populations often limit access to hospitals.

The Himachal Government plans to roll out the programme in phases over the coming months. Officials estimate that thousands of patients will benefit from home-based palliative care once the system becomes fully operational.

By adopting this model, Himachal Pradesh will be taking a decisive step towards making healthcare more accessible, humane and inclusive — an effort that can serve as a template for other states grappling with similar geographical and demographic challenges.