Published on: August 31, 2025
Dr. Shanmugapriya and Dr. Sunil at the NCD Annual Meeting

Earlier this month, I had the privilege of representing Pallium India at the National Cancer Grid (NCG) Annual Meeting, held on 2nd and 3rd August, 2025, at Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, along with Dr. Sunilkumar M. M., Director of WHOCC for Training and Policy on Access to Pain Relief, Trivandrum Institute of Palliative Sciences.

The two-day gathering brought together cancer care professionals, researchers, and policy advocates from across the country—all united by NCG’s vision: making cancer care in India affordable, equitable, and centred on the person, not just the disease.

Vision Backed by Action

NCG’s core values: #peoplematter, #thinkscale, #worktogether—shaped every conversation.

Presentations on key initiatives such as the EQAS and EQuIP quality assurance programs, pooled procurement of essential cancer medicines, and research platforms like CReDO and KCDO demonstrated a commitment to raising the standard of cancer care nationwide.

One of the most exciting announcements for us in palliative care was the proposal to launch a Travelling School in Palliative Care—a practical, hands-on approach to strengthening services and building capacity in diverse settings across India.

Bringing Palliative Care to the Table

I was part of the Special Interest Group (SIG) on Palliative Care, where 14 representatives from NCG-affiliated cancer centres came together for an open and constructive exchange.

We asked ourselves important questions:

  • What successful palliative care models can we learn from and adapt?
  • What barriers are limiting service delivery?
  • How do we get hospital leadership to see palliative care as essential, not optional?
  • What role can NCG play in enabling this shift?

The conversation was honest, hopeful, and solutions-focused. Together, we agreed on a concrete first step: co-developing an evidence-backed presentation to demonstrate the benefits and outcomes of palliative care for hospital leadership. We also committed to a virtual follow-up in three months to track our progress and keep up the momentum.

Leaving with Hope and Determination

As I left the meeting, I felt encouraged. Change in healthcare doesn’t come from grand declarations—it comes from small, strategic, and sustained actions, carried out by committed people working together.

The NCG Annual Meeting reinforced what Pallium India has always believed: palliative care must be an integral part of cancer care, accessible to every patient and family in need.

And with collaborations like these, that vision feels within reach.

Dr. P. Shanmugapriya
Senior Project Coordinator, Project iPaCC, Pallium India

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