Context: With the rise in non-communicable diseases, the requirement of palliative care is a must.
What is palliative care?
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WHO defined palliative care as the active total care of patients whose disease is not responsive to curative treatment.
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This type of care is focused on providing relief from the symptoms and stress of the illness.
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The goal is to improve quality of life for both the patient and the family.
Facts:
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As per UN World Population Ageing Report:
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India’s ageing population (aged above 60) is estimated to increase to about 20% by 2050 from 8% currently.
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By 2050, the percentage of elderly people will increase by 326%, with those aged 80 years and above set to increase by 700%, making them the fastest-growing age group in India.
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What are the problems associated with palliative care?
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Lack of trained staff and healthcare professionals.
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Restricted access to opioids for pain control.
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Refusal to accept that there comes a time when one needs to work with the process of dying rather than against it.
Why does the need for palliative care arise?
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Non-communicable diseases like cancer are rising these days. Presently, in India, 30 lakh people are suffering from cancer. Of these, 75-80% are in the advanced stage and half of them die within a year. Yet, no more than 2% receive palliative care because of the paucity of service. With the corona pandemic, this count will further increase.
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India is becoming urbanised at a rapid rate which has resulted in the breaking up of families into smaller units.
What should be done to improve the conditions of palliative care?
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Trained professionals: Palliative care requires end-of-life conversations. So, there is a need for training professionals to work in a collaborative manner. People must also make a living will to designate a surrogate who can take decisions on their behalf when they are incapacitated.
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Renaming: Rename palliative care and call it symptomatic care to make it more acceptable.
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Treatment by specialists: There is a tendency to cut off relations once treatments fail. The treating specialist should continue to involve family members whose advice and support are needed by the patient.
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Rehabilitation of family members: Apart from the patient, the survival and safety of members left behind is also a concern that should be addressed, especially in the case of India where it is missed.