Published on: June 30, 2025

On May 19, 2025, the Andaman & Nicobar Islands took a decisive step towards a more compassionate healthcare system. In collaboration with the National Health Mission, Pallium India organised an inaugural awareness program to introduce palliative care services into government healthcare institutions across the islands.

Senior representatives from the Directorate of Health Services, the Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD) team, and the former Health Secretary and Mission Director actively participated. Their enthusiasm and commitment to relieving suffering laid the foundation for this much-needed initiative.

“No one should suffer needlessly,” emphasised Dr. M.R. Rajagopal, Chairman Emeritus of Pallium India, setting the vision for the program. His message was clear — palliative care must be accessible, integrated, and sustainable, reaching even the most remote corners of the country.

The roadmap ahead includes:

• Integrating palliative care into the primary healthcare system
• Training local healthcare providers
• Ensuring access to essential medicines, especially morphine
• Community engagement to build networks of care
  

As a second, crucial phase of the initiative, an Opioid Availability Workshop was conducted on June 4, 2025. Access to morphine — the gold standard for managing moderate to severe pain — remains limited across India, with rural and remote areas like the Andaman Islands facing the greatest challenges.

Despite reforms aimed at improving opioid availability, complex licensing procedures, inadequate supply chains, and limited storage facilities continue to prevent patients from receiving the relief they urgently need.

Recognising this, over 100 stakeholders came together for the workshop — including the Directorate of Health Services, Drug Control Administration, NHM NCD team, doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and paramedical staff.

Dr. Rajagopal reminded participants of the human right to live — and die — with dignity. His words reinforced the urgency of ensuring pain relief as an essential part of healthcare.

Dr. Sunil Kumar, Director of the Trivandrum Institute of Palliative Sciences (TIPS), shared actionable insights on improving the procurement and distribution of Essential Narcotic Drugs (ENDs), with a focus on oral morphine.

The workshop concluded with a practical, collaborative action plan:

• Training programs for government doctors, nurses, and Community Health Officers (CHOs)
• Faculty development for medical educators
• Integration of palliative care into public health institutions
• Streamlining access to pain-relief medicines like oral morphine

A Collective Commitment to Compassionate Care

This initiative marks a critical milestone in making palliative care and pain relief accessible to those living in geographical and social isolation. The enthusiasm of stakeholders, combined with clear action steps, offers hope that no one in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands will be left to suffer in silence.

Pallium India extends heartfelt gratitude to all who participated. Together, we move closer to a healthcare system where relief, dignity, and compassionate care are not a privilege, but a right.