Medica Superspeciality Hospital launches Eastern India's first Home-Based Palliative Cancer Care Services

Hyderabad, November 7, 2022: The Oncology Department of Medica Superspecialty Hospital held a Panel Discussion at the Science City Auditorium marking the occasion of National Cancer Awareness Day. The Oncology Department of Medica announced the launch of home-based palliative cancer care services to cancer patients & became the first facility in Eastern India to offer such services. The launch program & the panel discussion on the “Palliative Care” was attended by several specialty oncologists from Medica including Dr. Sourav Datta, Director of Medica Cancer Projects, Dr. Sudeep Das, Consultant Oncologist, Dr. Sayan Das, Head Radiation Oncologist, and Arunima Dutta, a Clinical Psychologist. In addition to the medical experts, Anup Mukherjee, representative of Fight Cancer NGO; Nilendu Saha, from Kudiram Pathagar Beharampur NGO, Sadiq Hussain, Writer and the real-life Heroes who have fought cancer and their families who had emerged victorious over all challenges, defied all obstacles, including societal pressures and economic adversities, and still have not called it quits, were also part of the panel discussion. Dr. Subir Ganguly - Senior Consultant of Radiation Oncology, at Medica Superspecialty Hospital served as the event's moderator.

In his inaugural speech Dr. Sourav Datta, Director of Medica Cancer Projects, Oncology Department, Medica Super Specialty Hospital, stated, "We at Medica Oncology are pleased to welcome you all for the launch of home-based Palliative Cancer Care services. Like every year, this year too, entire India will be celebrating National Cancer Awareness Day tomorrow & simultaneously will continue their fight against cancer. Cancer indeed is a deadly disease & we at Medica Hospital are committed to raising awareness about the importance of early detection and avoiding common lifestyle choices that increase the risk of developing cancer. To restore the hope & trust within us & within every individual battling cancer, we have our real-life heroes & their family members who have fought cancer & emerged victorious over all challenges & still have not lost hope. Apart from them, we have Cancer specialists & representatives from NGO’s who witness cancer patient in their families day & night to share their knowledge on every facet of the challenging fight against cancer. Let us all join in together & fight cancer.”

The term "Palliative Care" refers to the specialized medical care that is delivered by a trained team of physicians, nurses, psychologists, and other medical staff members to provide relief from the symptoms and stress that are brought on by a serious illness like Cancer. Palliative care is typically provided to patients who are in the later stages of their illness and have a limited life expectancy as it affords patients much-needed relief.

The moderator of the event, Dr. Subir Ganguly, Senior Consultant Radiation Oncology, Medica Superspeciality Hospital, averred, " This year Medica Oncology has taken up Palliative Care as its theme for National Cancer Awareness Day. In India, there are reportedly 2.25 million cancer patients, 1 million new cases annually, and over 0.88 million annual deaths. Each year, over seven million new patients in India require palliative care, but less than four percent have access to these services. Lack of access to palliative care primarily results in poor symptom management, poor quality of life, improper end-of-life care, and an increased financial burden. Patients with terminal cancer are frequently unable to travel to treatment centers for palliative care due to the high cost of transportation and their immobility. Medica Hospital is committed to providing a team of medical experts to assist patients in their own homes." 

He further added, “We are very pleased to launch such a service first time in Eastern India. The launch of home-based Palliative care will not only benefit cancer patients from all walks of life but, free treatment facilities for underprivileged patients will also be provided.”

The day-long event which started with a Walkathon in the morning and the interactive session took the viewers through clinically oriented topics ranging from the significance of Palliative Care for Cancer patients to the long-term impact of cancer on the mental health of survivors and caregivers. During the Q&A session with the panel, the representatives from the NGOs who spoke on their behalf shared information, resources & their experiences with the audience; alongside, Cancer survivors and their family members addressed their personal experiences, focusing on various strategies that helped them remain positive despite the already stressful and difficult encounters of accepting cancer treatment and caring for cancer patients.