The Growing Need for Palliative Care in India

The provision of healthcare services to the people of India presents a unique set of challenges due to the country's large and diverse population as well as its rapidly improving life expectancy. Palliative care is a specialized form of medical care that aims to improve the quality of life for people living with serious illnesses and their families. The demand for this type of care has been increasing in recent years, which presents a number of challenges. In this article, we will discuss the factors that are contributing to the need for palliative care in India, as well as the present state of palliative care services and the steps that can be taken to address this pressing problem.

The Increasing Burden of Non-Communicable Diseases

The increasing burden of non-communicable diseases in India is one of the primary reasons that contributes to the growing demand for palliative care in that country (NCDs). These diseases, which include cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and chronic respiratory diseases, are to blame for a sizeable percentage of the deaths that occur in the nation. The World Health Organization reports that noncommunicable diseases are responsible for 63 percent of all fatalities in India. The necessity of receiving palliative care services becomes more and more apparent as these diseases frequently advance to more advanced stages that call for complicated medical treatment.

Population Decline

The population of India is declining at an alarming rate, and by the year 2050, the number of individuals aged 60 and older is projected to reach 340 million. Another thing that contributes to the rise in demand for palliative care is the rise in chronic illnesses and disabilities that come with getting older. For this growing number of older people to get the right medical care, the focus will need to shift from acute care to long-term care, including palliative care services.

Access to High-Quality Palliative Care

Access to high-quality palliative care is still restricted in India, Despite the growing need for palliative care, India continues to have limited access to high-quality services. The overwhelming majority of the currently available palliative care services are concentrated in urban areas, leaving vast populations in rural areas unserved. In addition, there is a lack of knowledge about palliative care, both among healthcare professionals and the general public. This lack of awareness hinders the development of these services as well as their utilization.

Actions to Take in Order to Meet the Demand for Palliative Care

• Strengthening Policy and Legislation: The Indian government needs to give palliative care a higher priority in its healthcare policies and allot sufficient funds to develop and spread these services across the country. This can be accomplished by allocating adequate resources. This involves incorporating palliative care into pre-existing healthcare programmes and making it a priority for public health insurance to cover it.
• Investing in Healthcare Infrastructure: It is essential to make investments in healthcare infrastructure, particularly in rural regions, in order to guarantee that all patients have equitable access to palliative care. The provision of specialised care may necessitate the establishment of palliative care units within established healthcare facilities or the founding of hospices that operate independently.
• Improving Education and Training for the Workforce: There is an immediate and dire need to educate more medical practitioners in palliative care. This can be accomplished by including instruction on palliative care in medical and nursing curricula and by providing opportunities for ongoing training for healthcare providers.
• Increasing Public Awareness: It is important to raise public awareness about palliative care. This is so that individuals and families are aware of the benefits of these services and seek them out when they are required. It is possible for awareness campaigns, community outreach programs, and efforts to advocate for patients to play a substantial role in the accomplishment of this objective.

India needs palliative care, and everyone, including the government, health care providers, and the general public, needs to work together to solve this problem. India can start to meet the growing demand for these essential services and improve the quality of life for millions of its citizens if it gives palliative care a higher priority in policymaking, invests in infrastructure, improves workforce training, and raises public awareness.