G. Kishan Reddy, Union Minister Inaugurates India's First-of-its-Kind dedicated Neuro-Palliative Care Ward at Sparsh Hospice; Backs Inclusion of Hospice Care under CGHS

Hyderabad, July 19, 2026: G. Kishan Reddy, Union Cabinet Minister, Government of India, inaugurated India's first-of-its-kind dedicated Neuro-Palliative Care Ward at Sparsh Hospice, Khajaguda, on Sunday.
The newly launched 8-bed Neuro-Palliative Care Ward has been established to provide affordable, compassionate and specialized care for patients suffering from advanced neurological disorders who require long-term nursing and palliative support.
G. Kishan Reddy toured the hospice and interacted with doctors, staff and patients and inaugurated the ward. Appreciating the services being rendered by Sparsh Hospice, he described it as "a marvellous humanitarian service".
"I had visited the earlier Sparsh Hospice facility at Banjara Hills. It is heartening to see how the institution has expanded its services. Such palliative care facilities should come up in cities across India so that patients with terminal and chronic illnesses can spend their final phase of life with dignity, comfort and compassionate care," he said.
Addressing the gathering, the Union Minister stressed the need to make palliative care accessible to all sections of society.
"The Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) should include hospice and palliative care services so that every eligible patient can access compassionate end-of-life care without financial hardship. Palliative care is not merely about extending life; it is about ensuring dignity, comfort and quality of life for patients and support for their families," he said.
He assured to the management to take up the matter with the concerned and competent authority. 
He appreciated Sparsh Hospice for establishing the dedicated Neuro-Palliative Care Ward, describing it as an important step towards strengthening India's palliative healthcare infrastructure.
According to Dr. Anitha Kotha, Neurologist, and Dr. S.K.V. Raju, Anaesthesiologist and Palliative Care Specialist, there is a growing need for specialized neuro-palliative care due to the increasing incidence of advanced neurological conditions such as stroke, advanced dementia, Parkinson's disease, neuropathies, spinal cord disorders and other chronic neurological illnesses.
They explained that many of these patients eventually become bedridden and require round-the-clock nursing care. Feeding difficulties, immobility, pressure sore prevention, pain management and symptom control demand skilled multidisciplinary care, placing enormous physical, emotional and financial burdens on families.
"With the growing number of such patients, rehabilitation and long-term care centres are increasing. However, the cost of care is beyond the reach of many families. Sparsh Hospice has therefore established this Neuro-Palliative Care Ward to provide quality care at a highly subsidised cost. Patients will receive comprehensive nursing and palliative care from trained professionals, eliminating the need for attendants to stay with them round the clock and significantly reducing the caregiving burden on families," they said.
On the occasion, the management of Sparsh Hospice submitted a representation to the Union Minister requesting a special exemption for empanelment under the Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS).
The representation pointed out that while Sparsh Hospice is one of India's largest standalone hospice facilities with 82 beds, it does not qualify under the existing CGHS empanelment norms because the criteria are designed for multi-speciality hospitals requiring operation theatres, diagnostic laboratories, blood banks and other tertiary-care infrastructure. As a specialized hospice, Sparsh focuses exclusively on palliative and end-of-life care rather than curative treatment.
Founded in 2011 as a project of the Rotary Club of Banjara Hills Charitable Trust, Sparsh Hospice has cared for more than 16,500 patients and their families, with over 90 per cent of beneficiaries receiving services free of cost. The hospice currently supports around 600 patients every month through inpatient, outpatient and home-care services.
The management urged the Government of India to create a special provision for empanelling standalone hospice institutions under CGHS. Such a move, they said, would benefit thousands of Central Government employees, pensioners and their dependants in Telangana by providing access to specialized pain management, symptom control, psychological support and end-of-life care, while also reducing the burden on tertiary care hospitals.
The Neuro-Palliative Care Ward is expected to serve patients with advanced neurological illnesses requiring prolonged supportive care and rehabilitation, while enhancing their quality of life and providing much-needed relief to caregivers.
The inauguration was attended by Dr M Subrahmanyam, Jagadish Ramadugu, Pranathi Reddy, Manohar Reddy, Anup Agarwal, Babita Jhabakh,  doctors, healthcare professionals, trustees, philanthropists, Rotary members and well-wishers, who hailed the initiative as a significant milestone in expanding access to affordable neuro-palliative care in India.