Awards and Recognitions
Dr Ravi Kannan awarded the prestigious ‘2023 Ramon Magsaysay Award – Hero for Holistic Healthcare’
It is with immense pride we share that Dr Ravi Kannan (Director, Cachar Cancer Hospital and Research Center (CCHRC), Assam) has been named as the recipient of the prestigious ‘2023 Ramon Magsaysay Award – Hero for Holistic Healthcare’, a recognition which is Asia’s equivalent to the Nobel Prize.
The Ramon Magsaysay Award is Asia’s premier prize and highest honor, which celebrates the greatness of spirit and transformative leadership in Asia. Dr Kannan is the sole awardee from India in the 65th anniversary (edition) of the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation (RMAF). An official statement from the RMAF board reads, “This award recognizes his devotion to his profession’s highest ideals of public service, his combination of skill, commitment, and compassion in pushing the boundaries of people-centered, pro-poor health care and cancer care, and for having built, without expectation of reward, a beacon of hope for millions in the Indian state of Assam, thus setting a shining example for all.”
Shri Himanta Biswa Sarma (Chief Minister, Assam) congratulated Dr Kannan and tweeted that Dr Kannan has “played an impactful role in transforming cancer care in Assam, especially in rural areas.”
Under Dr Kannan’s exemplary leadership and guidance, CCHRC was transformed to a superior quality comprehensive cancer hospital and research center, in a region otherwise known for challenging geographical terrains and limited access to health care services. Dr Kannan’s strategies combined with his infective compassion and support from like-minded individuals, has propelled the center to offer patients with low cost and high quality services (including palliative care) via 28 departments which is a significant change in the range of services that were offered at the center initially. Dr Kannan’s leadership style also attracted individuals from across the country to join hands, to take the staff strength from a mere 23 to the current team of 451 passionate individuals.
A true visionary, Dr Kannan, who is also an advocate for palliative care services, has also received the Padma Shri award (India’s fourth-highest civilian award) in 2021, in recognition of his transformative contribution towards healthcare.
Please click here to read the announcement on the RMAF website.
Hearty Congratulations, Dr Ravi Kannan! We wish you continued success and further laurels.
Mr Avtar Singh Cheema is the recipient of this year’s ‘Molly Dam Award’
We are pleased to share that Mr Avtar Singh Cheema (Founder, Palliative Peace) has been named as the recipient of the ‘Molly Dam Award’ for 2023.
The ‘Molly Dam Award’ was instituted by Dr Abhijit Dam (Founder and Director, Kosish) in fond remembrance of his mother, Ms Molly Dam, to honour all those ‘unsung’ heroes in Palliative care, who work tirelessly and selflessly in resource-poor and rural settings to provide compassionate care to the dying and the Elderly.
Dr Dam presented the award to Mr Avtar Singh Cheema in recognition of Mr Cheema’s dedication and commitment towards rendering care and relief for the suffering in resource poor settings and during humanitarian situations.
On this occasion, a humbled Mr Cheema shares, “I am deeply honoured to receive this award, and express my heartfelt thanks to Dr Dam for his support and belief towards my work. Palliative Peace was born in Punjab to save and care for those who have been neglected or overlooked in resource constrained rural areas where even a healthcare professional is unaware of what palliative care is; I also believe that the care rendered in such situations is dangerous and inadequate as it not only inhibits proper care but also increases undue stress and loss of dignity for those suffering. Palliative Peace therefore ensures that each of our patients receive dignified and ethical treatment. This award is therefore not just a recognition of my work but also a tribute to the countless individuals who have inspired and supported me during my journey.”
Congratulations Mr Avtar Singh Cheema! Thank you for doing all that you are doing.
Pallium India is the recipient of the ‘ECHO Excellence Award 2023’
We are excited to share that the Pallium India’s Virtual Education team has been awarded the ‘ECHO Excellence Award 2023’.
Dr Sanjeev Arora (Director and Founder, Project ECHO) presented the award to Dr M R Rajagopal (Founder and Chairman-emeritus, Pallium India) on Wednesday, 20th September, 2023, during Project ECHO’s Global Conference: MetaECHO 2023, at Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA.
ECHO is an acronym for Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes. Project ECHO has been a game changer in connecting healthcare providers via technology to leverage scarce resources irrespective of one’s setting. It creates virtual communities for participants to engage with their peers, share support, guidance and feedback. Project ECHO has over 900 partners globally and its impact has been felt in 63 countries.
The ‘ECHO Excellence Award’ is presented to individuals or organisations who have helped the movement grow into what it is today.
Using the ECHO training platform, Pallium India has provided palliative care training to 5872 participants from 33 countries. Pallium India’s individual programs trained 1590 doctors, 618 nurses, 499 allied medical professionals, 86 beneficiaries, 32 physiotherapists, 20 counsellors and 1589 volunteers. Even during the thick of the COVID-19 pandemic, a group of experts came together and trained 1331 healthcare providers across 12 countries in palliative care approaches to manage covid.
A spokesperson from Pallium India shares, “Pallium India is proud to be associated with Project ECHO, and appreciates the efforts of our virtual education team led by Ms Rajalekshmi Balu, Dr Sreedevi Warrier, Dr Sunilkumar M M, along with team members past and present – Ms Sree Priya S, Ms Siniya S, Ms Sangeeth Krishna P, Mr Vishnu M, Mr Anoop S S, Mr Agathiya Vayshnav and Mr Arun Santh. We extend our gratitude to all those who have collaborated with us as faculty, facilitators and content co-creators. We also thank our participants who have contributed to the success of these programs.”
Congratulations, Team Pallium India! We wish you the best in your future endeavours.
Dr Avinash Tiwari receives the News 18’s ‘Yuva Shakti Award 2023’ on 24th September, 2023
We are elated to share that Dr Avinash Tiwari (Consultant, Department of Pain, Palliative Medicine and Supportive Oncology, Sanjeevani CBCC USA Cancer Hospital, Raipur) is the recipient of News 18’s (Chhattisgarh Unit) ‘Yuva Shakti Award 2023’ under the Medicine category.
Mr Ashutosh Rana (Indian Actor, television personality) presented the award to Dr Tiwari on Sunday, 24th September, 2023, at an event held at the Baharatari Indoor Stadium, at Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh.
The award was presented to Dr Tiwari in recognition of his commitment and dedication towards his work in cancer palliative care. Incidentally, Dr Tiwari is also the first specialist palliative medicine physician from his region.
The recognition instituted by News 18’s Chhattisgarh Unit, acknowledges and recognizes the contributions of individuals from various fields such as medicine, industry, environment etc.
On this occasion, an excited Dr Tiwari shares, “This recognition is not just for my professional work. It gives me immense pleasure that a field like palliative care is being acknowledged. I would like to thank the organisers and also Dr Yousuf Memon, the Director at my hospital, for believing in me and for their support.”
Congratulations Dr Tiwari! We wish you continued growth.
Palliative Peace inaugurates the ‘Captain (IN) Tejinder Pal Singh Gill Memorial Care and Support Home’ at Bhadalwad, Punjab, on 7th September, 2023
It is heartwarming to share that an 18 bedded palliative care unit was inaugurated at Bhadalwad, Sangrur District, Punjab, on Thursday, 7th September, 2023.
The new unit is a branch and extension of Palliative Peace’s services and is dedicated in memory of Late Captain (Indian Navy) Tejinder Pal Singh Gill. The new unit known as ‘Captain (Indian Navy) Tejinder Pal Singh Gill Memorial Care and Support Home’ will offer end-of-life and palliative care services to patients from the problem-ridden belt of Punjab (Sangrur, Dhuri, Malerkotla, Bathinda, Patiala, etc.)
Services in the new unit will be provisioned by a team of a doctor, nurses, caretakers and other support staff. The management of the new center shares that their primary area of focus would be towards destitute patients who are abandoned by their family members either due to poverty or due to a lack of knowledge on how to provide care for such patients.
To connect with the team: info@palliativepeace.com / +91 7986609911.
Congratulations Team Palliative Peace! We wish you continued success in your endeavours.
Foundation stone laying ceremony of Manipal Hospice and Respite Care Center held on 16th September, 2023
We are delighted to share that the Foundation stone laying ceremony for the Manipal Hospice and Respite Care Center was held on Saturday, 16th September, 2023, at Havange, Udupi, Karnataka.
The new project will be constructed on a 13 acre property located beside the Kasturba Medical College Hospital (KMCH), Manipal, in the middle of lush nature and close to the river, Swarna. The 100 bedded center will provide superior quality evidence based palliative care to adult and paediatric patients from both oncology and non-oncology. Services at the new center will be provided at no cost to the patients. Interestingly, the new project will be the first facility in India to be affiliated with both a hospital and a university, to offer hospice and respite services under one roof.
Dr Ranjan Pai (President, MAHE Trust; Chairman of MEMG) officially initiated the construction of the Manipal Hospice and Respite Centre. Dr H S Ballal (Pro-chancellor), Lt Gen (Dr) M D Venkatesh (Vice chancellor), Dr Giridhar Kini (Registrar), Dr Sharath K Rao, Dr N N Sharma, and Dr Dilip Naik (Pro vice chancellors), Mr Hari Narayan Sharma (CEO, Manipal Foundation), Mr C G Muthana (COO MAHE), Dr Anand Venugopal (COO, Manipal Teaching Hospitals), Dr Avinash Shetty (Medical Superintendent, Kasturba Hospital), Dr Unnikrishnan (Dean, KMC Mangaluru), and Dr Naveen Salins (Head, Department of Palliative Medicine and Supportive Care) were the other esteemed individuals who attended the ceremony, along with other administrative staff from MAHE, MAGE and KMC.
The new project is expected to be operational by April 2025.
Congratulations Team MAHE! We wish you the best in this new venture.
NIMHANS and Cipla Foundation collaborate to provision integrated neuropalliative care services at NIMHANS, Bengaluru
We are ecstatic to share that the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS), and Cipla Foundation, have collaborated to provide integrated palliative care services for neurological patients registered at NIMHANS, Bengaluru.
The first-of-its-kind initiative in India, is a testament to the commitment to improving the lives of patients and their caregivers with chronic neuro-degenerative disorders by setting up a multidisciplinary neuropalliative care unit to provision care for such patients and their caregivers.
On 22nd September, 2023, a meeting was conducted in this regard at the Seminar Hall, Neuroscience Faculty Block, NIMHANS, Bengaluru, to explore and discuss advancements, challenges, and best practices in the field of neuro-palliative care. Over 80 healthcare professionals from various departments of NIMHANS, palliative care and home care centers in Bengaluru, and caregivers participated in the program which included keynote presentations, sharing of experiences by caregivers, and a panel discussion by eminent consultant neurologists and psychiatrists in which they shared their perspectives on optimizing neuropalliative care.
On the occasion, Dr Pratima Murthy (Director, NIMHANS, Bengaluru) shared, “We are grateful to Cipla foundation for their support towards this neuropalliative care unit, which will make palliative care accessible to patients who need it the most. By coming together and sharing our expertise, we are better equipped to drive positive change in the field of neuropalliative care.”
Mr Anurag Mishra (Head, Corporate Social Responsibility, Cipla Foundation) spoke about facilitating partnerships for the development of neuropalliative care services and advocating for policy changes to ensure that individuals living with neurological disorders receive the care and support they deserve.
Dr Priya Treesa Thomas (Additional Professor, Dept. of Psychiatric Social Work (Neurology), NIMHANS, Bengaluru) shares, “This sort of an integrated specialist model in hospital setting is new. We screen patients who approach the routine neurology care, with life limiting neurological disorders and high support requirements, and their caregivers for their felt needs. Those with mild dependence and care needs are followed up via regular telephonic support across India, and through home care for Bengaluru based patients, while those with high dependence needs are provided active palliative care by the multidisciplinary team.”
Beginning from December 2021, so far 2328 patients with varied neuropalliative disorders have benefitted from the service, and many of them are actively receiving follow up care.
Please contact the Neuropalliative Care Team at NIMHANS at +91 90363 91447 / npcnimhans@gmail.com, to avail these services.
Please click here to read the media coverage regarding this.
Congratulations Team NIMHANS and Team Cipla Foundation! We wish you the best.