Kerala Boosts Palliative Care for All Income Groups

Kerala's Local Self-Governments department has updated its palliative care guidelines, aiming to enhance primary and secondary level services for all residents. The revisions ensure that individuals from every income bracket, residing in both urban and rural settings, will receive comprehensive support. These improvements are designed to streamline the existing system and expand its reach significantly.

Mandatory inclusion of palliative care projects in annual plans by all local bodies is now required. These bodies must develop ward-level lists of patients needing care, including the bed-ridden and those with long-term serious illnesses. This crucial data will be entered into the 'Kerala Care' portal, a community-based palliative care grid.

Volunteer recruitment and training will be facilitated through social organizations. Registered volunteers will be linked to patients, ensuring regular house visits—bi-weekly for the bed-ridden and monthly for others, with flexibility for daily needs. To ensure adequate service delivery, one home care unit with essential personnel will be established for every 20,000 individuals.