World Hospice and Palliative Care Day observed

Hyderabad, October 09, 2016… To help patients in the final stages of cancer to embrace death without regrets is the aim of the palliative care. A team of volunteers and doctors help ease excruciating pain, anxiety and depression that afflict patients, if not cure them completely.

Seeing the service of the Sparsh Hospice, K.T. Rama Rao on his visit to the facility today on the eve of World Hospice and Palliative Care, moved and donated Rs 5 lakh towards monthly maintenance of the 12 bedded Hospital, which is only of its kind in the state the provides free service to the terminally ill cancer patients.

He asked his personal staff to get the cheque book from his car, he wrote a rupees five lakh cheque, though the maintenance of the facility is Rs 4.5 lakh. He wrote the cheque in the name of Rotary Club of Banjara Hills Charitable Trust and handed over to Dr. Pranathi Reddy, President of Rotary Club of Banajara Hills.

Responding to Sparsh Hospice’s request to grant one acre land on lease for the 100 bedded hospital, Sparsh Hospice plan to construct, KT Rama Rao said their demand will be looked into. He assured them that the proposal for the land will be taken for cabinet approval in its next meeting.

Speaking further he said, by next Dussehra, you will be in new premises he assured them.

Death is inevitable. But, death has to be dignified. We welcome birth and celebrate. Death has to be painless. Any service rendered to terminally ill patients is very laudable said KT Rama Rao.

Banthu Rammohan, Mayor of Hyderabad also companied him.

Mr. Rajeshwar Tiwari, IAS, Principal Secretary, Govt of Telangana while speaking earlier on the occasion said, India lacks in Hospice and Palliative Care. Sparsh Hospice is the only Palliative Care in Telangana. Government is keen on providing palliative care through government hospitals. The Government has already issued guidelines to reserve 5 per cent of beds in Government Hospitals for Palliative Care, he informed

Further, he requested all those associated with Sparsh Hospice also come forward to help government hospitals offer palliative care. Government will consider extending Palliative care in all the district government hospitals he said.

We have also received a memorandum from Sprash Hospice requesting for allotment of an acre land. We are actively considering their proposal and decision will be taken at an appropriate titme, he informed.

Each year October 8 is observed as World Hospice and Palliative Care Day.

World Hospice and Palliative Care Day is a unified day of action to celebrate and support hospice and palliative care around the world.

The theme for 2016 is LIVING AND DYING IN PAIN: IT DOESN'T HAVE TO HAPPEN

It is estimated that 10 lakh patients are diagnosed with cancer each year in Indai and 3.5 lakh die of the disease annually. Only a tiny minority of 0.5 per cent get to benefit from palliative care and pain relief. Informed Dr. Pranathi Reddy, President of Rotary Club of Banjara Hills.

All of Sparsh’s facilities including stay, medicine, medical care and food are entirely free to patients. The running cost is about Rs 4.5 lakh every month, she said.

She appealed to all the philanthropists to come forward and donate to run Sparsh Hospice.

Mr. K.T. Rama Rao, Minister for IT, Govt of Telangana and Mr. Rajeshwar Tiwari, IAS, Principal Secretary, Govt of Telangana graced the occasion, went around the facility and felicitated donors.

The Sparsh Team Dr. Pranathi Reddy, Mr. M. Suresh Reddy, Dr. M. Subrahmanyam, Rammohan Rao, Anup Agarwal and other were also present on the occasion.

Sparsh Hospice is Palliative Care Center, an initiative of Rotary Club of Banjara Hills Charitable Trust. Sparsh Hospice is a 12 bedded facility and is the first Hospice in our state. Palliative care at Sparsh involves physical, emotional and spiritual care, with a team of trained doctors, nursing staff, physiotherapists, counselors and spiritual guides. And this is the free service. It also provide home care services. Till date it has given service to more than 800 patients free of cost.
All of Sparsh's facilities including stay, medicines, medical care and food are entirely free to patients. The running cost is about Rs. 4.5 lakhs every month and Sparsh is funded entirely by donations from well-meaning individuals and organizations. At Sparsh we also have volunteers who are selflessly supporting the cause of patient care and provide counseling services.

It is a known fact that Cancer is on the rise in our Country and according to WHO, one in 4 Cancer patients in the world are from India. About 10,00,000 cases (ten lakhs) of Cancer are diagnosed in India each year and of this number, about 20,000 per year are from Hyderabad alone. It is also well known that more than 60% of Cancer patients are at an advanced stage at diagnosis itself. This transforms to an approximate number of about 12,000 patients per year at a terminal stage of cancer, each year.

Once the cancer is termed as ‘Terminal’ it means that the life of that patient will end soon and no curative treatment is possible. Hence in this stage, it is deemed fit to concentrate of improving the quality of life and lessening the suffering rather than trying to prolong life with toxic treatments. This is the concept of ‘palliative Care’. A hospice is a place where patients with terminal illnesses are provided palliative care. Started by the enthusiastic members of the Rotary Club of Banjara Hills, in the year 2011 Sparsh Hospice is a 12 bedded facility and is the first Hospice in our state. Palliative care at Sparsh involves physical, emotional and spiritual care, with a team of trained doctors, nursing staff, physiotherapists, counselors and spiritual guides.