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Cancer Care By Amrit Dhara

Bhubaneswar: The Amrit Dhara Palliative Care(ADPC) Trust has been formed and registered as a voluntary non-profit institution to deliver Palliative Care to the needy cancer patients of Odisha and neighboring regions.

Dr. Mami Parija, President, ADPC Trust is opening for the patient care services from 21 December 2020 at Patia area of Bhubaneswar.

Palliative Care is the medical management of patients, who have pain and physical symptom burden, psychosocial distress and a life-limiting state due to cancer and chronic diseases.

World Health Organization (WHO) states, “Palliative care is a crucial part of integrated, people-centred health services (IPCHS). Nothing is more people-centred than relieving their suffering, be it physical, psychological, social, or spiritual.”

Those living with cancer and those in terminal stages together consist of 25 to 30 lakhs patients in India. In Odisha approximately 1.5 lakhs are living with cancer, and more than 60% of these cancer patients will benefit when effective palliative care can be delivered to them.

In the last 20 years, palliative care has been integrated with cancer treatments from the time of cancer diagnosis and more so for those patients in advanced stages. Most of these patients experience the prolonged suffering due to pain, other difficult physical symptoms of loss of appetite, feeling of weakness, breathing problem, bowel disturbance, constipation, sleep disturbance, wounds etc.

They also face many psychosocial challenges in their daily lives. Appropriate and professional management by Palliative care experts, according to the WHO recommended care pathway, relieves the physical and psychosocial sufferings and improve the quality of life in these vulnerable patients.

It is time now to increase the spread and delivery of palliative care, in a very affordable manner, for the cancer patients in Odisha and neighbouring regions alongside the existing public health program. Objectives of the Trust is to “ensure accessible & affordable Palliative Care to Cancer patients, for all phases of their disease, living in Odisha and neighbouring regions”.

Experienced doctors will give voluntary services. Nurses, paramedics and support staff will be available, for the medically sound and holistic care of these patients and for giving empathetic attention to their family caregivers.

In the beginning out-patient clinic and day-care will be the focus. The activities of ADPC trust will encompass, Out-patient clinic and Daycare to patients in need of Palliative Care.

Medical management of patients who have pain and physical symptom burden, psychosocial distress and a life-limiting state due to cancer, Guide the family caregivers of the patients to improve the clinical and medical management, nursing, paramedic and supportive care for the psychosocial assistance and holistic approach, said she.

Similarly, Training, academic and research activities to generate the medical and scientific strength of the Trust, paying due attention towards resource appropriation and socio-geographic situations of Odisha and neighbouring regions.

It will extend the clinical services of the Trust beyond out-patient and day care within its premises to home palliative care for our patients on a realistic and practical need basis.

Establish collaboration with Palliative Care and other biomedical organizations, government agencies, institutions, societies and similar recognized entities and individuals who can enable the Trust to achieve its goals in promotion and delivery of Palliative Care.

The patients and their family members and the well-wisher citizens can reach at: Amrit Dhara Palliative Care Trust, Plot No. 398/4218, Laxmi Nagar, Patia, Bhubaneswar 751024, Odisha, India. Mobile +91-9668609666, Email: wecare@amritdhara.org.in.