New palliative care service in Lisie Hospital, Kochi
Good news! A palliative care service with home visits, outpatient and inpatient facilities has been started in Lisie Hospital in Kochi, Kerala. Lisie Hospital is a charitable private institution, often the refuge of people who cannot afford to go to the expensive corporate hospitals. The palliative care team consists of Dr Rosakutty Mathew, Dr Saramma Easow, Ms Smitha Tintu, Ms Gigi Shiju and Dr Bino George.
We receive this news with great happiness in the background of the sad situation that most Indian hospitals do not offer pain relief and do not stock morphine, which, as per the Government of India’s list, is an essential medicine. It is gratifying that more and more hospitals are now taking up the responsibility to offer palliative care to their patients, though the progress is painfully slow.
Congratulations to the management of the hospital and to the palliative care activists of Lisie Hospital.