The Department of Local Government has revised guidelines for palliative care under local bodies in the state. Currently, primary level palliative care is provided under all local bodies in the state, while secondary care is provided in general hospitals, district hospitals and family health centers under the coordination of various local bodies.
The revision of the guidelines is intended to bring timely improvements to the existing system and further expand its scope. It aims to provide palliative care services to people of all income groups in both urban and rural areas. All local authorities are required to include palliative care projects at primary and secondary care level in their annual plans.
Local authorities must prepare ward-level lists of those requiring palliative care, including bedridden patients and those with long-term serious illnesses. The details of these persons need to be added to the ‘Kerala Care’ portal – the community portal of the Palliative Care Grid – and separate teams deployed for both categories of patients. Local authorities also need to identify volunteers who want to be part of the palliative care mechanism with the help of social and mass organizations. Training needs to be provided for newly recruited volunteers who will need to be registered in the network and connected to patients.
Home visits and palliative care services must be provided at regular intervals for all registered patients. This period is two weeks for inpatients, one month for seriously ill patients. However, the timing of visits can be adjusted based on requirements, as some patients require daily care. One home care unit must be created for 20,000 residents, each consisting of all the personnel needed to provide care.
Published – 18 Jan 2026 20:44 IST
