The Alappuzha district panchayat has formed a 500-member palliative care volunteer team to ensure better care and support to bedridden patients in the district.
A five-day training programme for the volunteers was inaugurated by Alappuzha district panchayat president K.G. Rajeshwari recently. Ms. Rajeshwari said that Alappuzha was the first district panchayat in the State to constitute a strong palliative care volunteer team. The team would help expand palliative care across the district, she said.
According to official statistics, there are 25,000 patients in the district requiring palliative care. “We have prepared a comprehensive palliative care policy which aims to provide care and support to individuals facing life-threatening illnesses and their families. Besides volunteers visiting homes, the service of trained doctors will be provided to all patients in need of palliative care,” said Ms. Rajeshwari.
The local body will organise more five-day training programmes for volunteers in different parts of the district in the coming days.
District panchayat health standing committee chairperson M.V. Priya presided. Dr. K.S. Aneesh led the training session. Deputy district medical officer Anu Varghese, district panchayat welfare standing committee chairman T.S. Thaha and others attended.
