Bengaluru cancer patients who are unable to travel to hospitals will receive palliative care at home through a mobile service being provided by the Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology, its director Dr R. Krishnappa has said.
The institute’s pain relief and palliative care department is organising an awareness programme in the city on October 10 to mark Hospice and Palliative Care Day. The home-based service is intended to help patients manage pain and other symptoms while reducing physical and psychological stress, according to the institute.
A mobile van will be used to provide the service. It will be staffed by specialist doctors, nurses and other medical personnel, who will consult patients and family members during home visits and provide treatment based on their needs.
The service will initially cover areas within a 15-kilometre radius, Dr Krishnappa said in a statement. The institute plans to expand the coverage in the coming days. Patients will also be provided with available medicines during home visits, subject to their requirements.
The institute has additionally introduced music and yoga therapy as part of its palliative care programme. Dr Krishnappa said these interventions were intended to support patients’ mental health alongside the management of physical pain.
According to the institute, cancer patients undergoing treatment can experience persistent pain, anxiety, depression, fear, sleep difficulties, loneliness and uncertainty about the future. The expanded care model combines medical treatment with support intended to provide mental relief, while also involving family members in consultations.
The initial service radius and future expansion will determine how many patients can access the programme without travelling to the institute. The next phase will involve continuing home visits, treatment and medicine support within the announced service area.
