Awards and Recognitions
Dr Sushma Bhatnagar bestowed with the ‘Cynthia Goh Award 2023’
We are ecstatic to share that Dr Sushma Bhatnagar (President, IAPC; Chief, Dr BRAIRCH, AIIMS, New Delhi) was bestowed with the ‘Cynthia Goh Award 2023’, presented by the Asia Pacific Hospice and Palliative Care Network.
Dr Sushma received the award on Thursday, 5th October, 2023, during the Asia Pacific Hospice Palliative Care’s Conference held at Incheon, South Korea.
The award recognises Dr Sushma’s significant contribution to national and regional palliative care development and advancement, which is also an inspiring example to the palliative care community. The award also acknowledges Dr Sushma’s dedication towards education, capacity-building, better access to essential medicines, and compassionate patient care.
An elated Dr Sushma shares, “This award is truly special for me due to the respect and admiration I accord to my colleague and friend Dr Cynthia. This award not only recognises the efforts made towards the development of palliative care, but it has also made me aware of my privilege to carry forward this work, and the immense responsibility that comes with it. I thank my team, my colleagues and also my patients for joining hands with me to propel the development of palliative care in the region.”
Congratulations, Dr Sushma! We wish you further laurels.
MPMMCC and HBCH, TMC, Varanasi, and SAIMS, Indore, receive ESMO Accreditation
We are proud to share that the Mahamana Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya Cancer Centre (MPMMCC) & Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital (HBCH) Tata Memorial Center (TMC) Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, and Sri Aurobindo Institute of Medical Sciences (SAIMS), Indore, Madhya Pradesh, have been recognised as ESMO (European Society for Medical Oncology) Designated Centres for Integrated Oncology and Palliative Care in 2023. Eleven other institutions from across the world have received the accreditation this year.
Palliative care services at MPMMCC and HBCH, TMC is led by Dr Somnath Dey (Associate Professor and Officer in Charge, Department of Pain and Palliative Medicine, MPMMCC & HBCH and TMC, Varanasi). Dr Dey received the award at Madrid, Spain, during the ESMO World Congress 2023. On this occasion he shares, “We are committed to our patients who give us the opportunity to serve them. This award is dedicated to all the members of our Department as it is a reflection of everyone’s hard work. We will continue to echo the ethos of TMC – Service, Education and Research, as we thrive for excellence”.
Palliative care services at SAIMS is led by Dr Pankaj Singhai (Associate Professor, Department of Palliative and Supportive Medicine, SAIMS, Indore) who shares, “We are thankful to ESMO for recognising our efforts to integrate early palliative care in cancer patients. This recognition will motivate Oncologists in the region to integrate palliative care along with Cancer treatment. Our team will ensure that the standards set by ESMO for integrated oncology and PC will be adhered to”.
The ESMO Designated Centers Accreditation program was initiated in 2003 to recognise cancer centres providing highly integrated oncology and palliative care services with the goal of improving research, education and clinical practice by setting standards for service development. To get accredited, centers will need to fulfil all the 13 criteria based on recommendations from the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines on the provision of palliative care for patients with cancer. Once accredited, they are valid for a period of three years following which centres may reapply if interested. Please click here to view the list of centers accredited from India till date.
Hearty congratulations to the newly accredited organisations! We wish you the best in your future endeavours.
Sparsh Hospice awarded the ‘Sri D V Raju Memorial Service Excellence Award 2023’ on 15th October, 2023
We are glad to share that Sparsh Hospice, Hyderabad, Telangana, has been presented with the ‘Sri D V Raju Memorial Service Excellence Award 2023’ by the Kshatriya Seva Samithi (Telangana and Andhra Pradesh) during their 62nd Annual General Body meeting, held on Sunday, 15th October, 2023.
The award recognises Sparsh Hospice’s commitment to excellence in healthcare and also acknowledges their outstanding palliative care service delivery to over 8,500 terminally ill patients and their caregivers.
On receiving the award, a spokesperson from Team Sparsh shares, “We are trying to close the gap in the care provided to patients who are terminal. We do this by educating the community, facilitating continuity in care delivery by providing this much needed service for terminal cancer patients. This award only motivates us to further improve the quality of life of those patients and their loved ones, who are under our care”.
Sparsh Hospice is an initiative of the Rotary Club of Banjara Hills Charitable Trust.
Congratulations Team Sparsh! We wish you further accolades.
Pritpal CanSupport Home Palliative Care Services inaugurates their ‘Out patient clinic’ at Jamshedpur
We are delighted to share that the Pritpal CanSupport Home Palliative Care Services (PCSHPC) inaugurated its first Out-patient Clinic on Monday, 16th October, 2023, at Jamshedpur, Jharkhand.
The new Outpatient clinic located at Aaksahdeep Plaza, Golmuri, Jamshedpur, was inaugurated by Mr Kulvin Suri (Member, Board of Directors, Suri Seva Foundation), along with members of PCSHPC Homecare team and a patient who is currently receiving homecare. The inauguration was attended by PCSHPC’s staff, well-wishers, and several homecare patients and their caregivers.
Homecare services by the center and also services at the new outpatient clinic will be provided at no cost to suffering cancer patients.
For further information and to avail these services please call: +91 9289410091.
Congratulations Team Pritpal CanSupport Home Palliative Care Service! We wish you further growth!
The Bagchi-Karunashraya Palliative Care Centre at Bhubaneswar celebrates two years of home care
It is heartwarming to share that the Bagchi-Karunashraya Palliative Care Centre (BKPCC) celebrated their second anniversary of providing quality palliative care services on Wednesday, 18th October, 2023.
A 24-member team consisting of Doctors, Nurses, Counsellors, Physiotherapists, and Administrators have been able to render completely free palliative care services over the past two years via 3000 home visits and 900 Out-patient consultations to manage pain, provide wound dressing and offer psychosocial support.
The in-patient services of the center is expected to begin later this year, upon completion of their centre which is being set up at the Info Valley, Bhubaneswar, Odisha.
On this momentous occasion, Dr Nagesh Simha (Medical Director, BKPCC, Bhubaneshwar) shares “It is heartening that we have been able to reach out to so many needing our support. We look forward to the opening of our 110-bed hospice. This will strengthen our ability to provide high quality palliative care”.
To connect with the team for further information or to avail these services, please call +91 9938136111 / 0674-2914450.
BKPCC is a collaborative effort of Bangalore Hospice Trust – Karunashraya, and Mr Subroto Bagchi (Co founder, Mindtree; Chief Advisor, Institutional Capacity Building, Government of Odisha).
Congratulations team BKPCC! We wish you the best in your journey.
State Health Minister dedicates CanKids State Care Coordination Centre cum Home-away-from-home for Paediatric Cancer Patients to Madhya Pradesh in Bhopal on 30th September 2023
We are pleased to share that the Department of Health and Family Welfare, National Health Mission (NHM), Government of Madhya Pradesh (MP) inaugurated Cankids KidsCan’s ‘Sukh Anand – Samanvay Kendra’, a State Care Coordination Center and home-away-from-home in Bhopal, MP, on Saturday, 30th September, 2023.
The center will be a hub from where best access to treatment, care and support for children with cancer (0-19 years of age) from across the State will be coordinated through online and face-to-face interaction, support, helpline services and training of health workers and professionals. The center will also function as a Home-away-from-home by providing holistic accommodation and care for families from outside Bhopal who come to the city for treatment, so that their treatment remains interrupted. The 21 Bedded facility provides an array of services such as patient navigation, care coordination, information and parent patient education, medical assistance, school room, psychological and nutrition counselling, nutritional support, training, survivorship and palliative care services etc.
The new center was inaugurated by Dr Prabhuram Chaudhary (Hon. Minister of Health, Government of Madhya Pradesh). Delighted to meet children with cancer and their families from 15 different districts of MP, Dr Chaudhury said, “It is crucial that Children with Cancer Survive and Thrive, and get the best access to care. We are happy to have a partnership MOU with CanKids who are able to hold the hands of the families, guide them from primary health centre, tertiary care centres and provide them financial, medical, social, educational and psychological support, which they need at this time”.
Enthusiastic dance performances by children suffering from cancer, inspiring speeches by cancer survivors, a powerful street play, and a riveting flash mob by cancer survivors, were all a part of the inaugural event, each of which focussed towards driving home the message of ‘YANA – You Are Not Alone’.
Ms Poonam Bagai (Founder Chairman, CanKids KidsCan, New Delhi) shares, “The Lokarpan of the Madhya Pradesh State Care Coordination Centre by the Health Minister renews our commitment to work with the State government and the other stakeholders to make bring about a Change for Childhood Cancer in the State. We have divided the State into 5 Childhood Cancer Divisions and will be working with the Government and Lead hospitals and doctors of Indore, Bhopal, Gwalior, Jabalpur and Rewa to bring about this change”.
For further information about these services, please call: +918370001226.
Congratulations Team CanKids KidScan! We wish you continued success.
Pallium India begins a special initiative ‘Evening Special Homecare Team’ from September, 2023
We are happy to share that Pallium India has recently begun a new initiative ‘Evening Special Homecare Team (ESHT)’ for patients with palliative care needs in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.
The new initiative will provide emergency palliative homecare services between 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. for patients registered with Pallium India. A spokesperson from Pallium India shares, “Our Morning Special Homecare Team (MSHT) will attend to the emergency calls we receive during the day, as our regular home visit teams will continue with their scheduled visits. Our MSHT wind-up their services each day by 3 p.m.. The recently launched ESHT initiative will therefore help us to respond to emergencies arising afterwards.”
Services for the Evening special homecare team will be rendered by a male nurse and a palliative care assistant. Please reach out to Team Pallium India at +91 9645884889 for further information and to avail these services.
Congratulations Team Pallium India for all that you are doing!