First ever palliative care centre in Andhra Pradesh has been inaugurated by district Collector S. Satyanarayana at the Government General Hospital here on Saturday.
The centre would provide care for patients with terminal cancer, and is supported by an NGO, Pain Relief and Palliative Care Society (PRPCS).
Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Satyanarayana said care would be given free of charge to terminally ill patients, and the costs would be borne by the NGO.
Donation
He lauded the PRPCS for pledging a donation of ₹2-3 lakh every month.
“The centre would be a milestone in the history of the GGH,” said its superintendent Dr. P. Chandrasekhar.
Support would be given to any organisation that would approach them for helping patients, he added.
Eight beds
The palliative care centre is in the super-speciality block of the GGH with eight beds. An ambulance has also been assigned to it.
In the ambulance, nurses would go round the city providing medicines to patients. The ambulance and the staff expenses would also be borne by the NGO.