Karnataka plans palliative care for all, extends focus beyond cities

Bengaluru: Karnataka will soon have a structured palliative care framework available across the state, moving beyond the urban centres where such services are currently concentrated.

The state government has constituted a committee of palliative medicine experts to design and roll out the framework.

The 2026-2027 budget announced that the Kerala model would be replicated.

"The Kerala model focuses on providing palliative care to every corner of the community and is not limited to bigger cities of the state. Every human being deserves to live and die with dignity. They should not be left alone to suffer. Hence, palliative care is important," said Dr Yadhuraj Gowda, Professor and Head of the Department of Palliative Medicine, Bengaluru's Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology. Dr Gowda is a member of the committee.

"One of the major aspects of palliative care is pain management. A normal physician cannot treat the pain of a patient who is under palliative care as Essential Narcotic Drugs such as morphine must be used. But these can only be prescribed by doctors trained in palliative medicine," he added.

Kidwai currently provides palliative care for cancer patients under treatment, but not at the doorstep.

Dr Rajani Surendra Bhat, Interventional Pulmonologist and Palliative Care Physician, said, "Palliative care is physical, psychological, spiritual and social. Beyond pain and cancer, the government is planning a multidisciplinary committee, including paediatricians, to help children and parents understand the situation better. There is a lack of access to palliative medicine specialists, which needs to be addressed in primary care."

Cancer, neurological diseases such as Parkinson's, neuromotor disease, and all other life-limiting illnesses that worsen despite treatment come under palliative medicine, Dr Bhat said.

Holistic care needed for children: Expert 

Dr Anuradha Ganigara, Associate Professor, Department of Anaesthesiology and Paediatric Palliative Medicine, Indira Gandhi Institute of Child Health, said, "Children with cerebral palsy, metabolic disorders, and cancer have needs beyond pain that are currently not addressed. Pain is not rightly addressed in children. We also focus on symptom management."

"Communication is an important part of palliative care. We address the patient's view and are trained to communicate in an age-appropriate manner with children and patients, especially when delivering bad news," added Dr Anuradha, also a member of the committee.

The services will be available to both mentally and physically ill patients, officials in the department said.