The Kadambur grama panchayat here has set an example of initiating efficient palliative care for people with terminal illness and their families as it is the first to start palliative care activities under the Sparsham project started in Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s constituency Dharmadam.
Kadambur was declared total palliative-friendly panchayat by Edakkad block panchayat president M.C. Mohanan on the occasion of a Kerala Palliative Care Day function held here the other day. The Sparsham project envisages offering palliative services to people with serious illnesses in the constituency under the respective local bodies. The project was started in October.
“The panchayat has 218 people who require palliative care and every month we regularly offer services to 160 patients,” said K. Gireesan, panchayat president, when contacted.
Teams including palliative nurses, Accredited Social Health Activists, National Service Scheme volunteers and local ward members visit each of the patients once or twice every month, he said, adding that in addition to home care, the patients are also given medicine and instruments such as airbed, walking stick and wheel chair, among others.
The panchayat was also giving nutrition kits worth ₹1,000 each to 50 patients every month, Mr. Gireesan informed.
Under the scheme, the panchayat has also been holding special gatherings of patients under palliative care and their families on the occasion of the Kerala Palliative Care Day.
Allocation
The panchayat authorities ensured all facilities for giving relief to the patients and their families.
An amount of ₹16 lakh including the allocations from the district and block panchayat was set apart in the current fiscal for the palliative initiatives in the panchayat.