Kerala Care Universal Palliative Service Scheme to Ensure Palliative Care for Patients

News Desk

13 June 2025 11:05 AM

The Local Self-Government Department is launching the Kerala Care Universal Palliative Service Scheme to provide palliative care for people suffering from serious illnesses across the state. The aim is to build a people’s movement that ensures care reaches every individual and family in need, whether they live in rural or urban areas and regardless of their income status (APL or BPL).

Anyone willing to spend at least one hour a week helping a patient in need can join as a volunteer in this scheme. To register, volunteers must fill in their details at sannadhasena.kerala.gov.in/volunteerregistration. Training sessions will be held at the district level after every 30 registrations, and volunteers will begin their work after completing three days of training.

This scheme is a joint initiative of the Health Department and the Local Self-Government Department. It provides home-based palliative care not only for bedridden patients but also for those with serious illnesses. Medical needs, including specialist treatment, will be handled by the existing system through palliative care nurses, while volunteers will offer other support services.

To identify those in need, data collection and patient registration will be carried out extensively across Kerala. Efforts like registering public health centres, forming secondary care units, and training nurses are already in progress. Those interested in volunteering must complete their registration by June 15 at sannadhasena.kerala.gov.in/volunteerregistration.