
In relief for cancer patients, AIIMS gets palliative care unit
AIIMS Bhopal
has launched a specialised 10-bed
Palliative Care Unit
, representing an important advancement in specialised healthcare. The unit is designed to provide comprehensive support to patients with severe illnesses, particularly cancer, focusing on
pain management
, physical symptom relief, and emotional support.
In India, there exists a substantial gap in palliative care provision, with merely 1-2% of patients receiving necessary care, according to experts. Although the National Medical Commission (NMC) promotes its integration into medical curriculum, there are no mandatory requirements for tertiary hospitals or medical colleges to establish dedicated facilities.
Healthcare facilities often show reluctance in providing extended care to long-term patients. A senior consultant at Hamidia Hospital stated, "We receive referrals. The whole hospital is palliative care. District hospitals and others are mandated for creating palliative care support," highlighting the absence of a dedicated facility.
AIIMS Bhopal's palliative care service operates with existing medical personnel, increasing pressure on available resources. The facility prioritises prompt pain management and symptom control, particularly for patients with complex conditions requiring intensive care support.
AIIMS Bhopal director, Dr Ajai Singh, highlighted infrastructure and awareness challenges: "Regular patients struggle for beds, and manpower is stretched. There's a gap in facilities, training, and regional access. Some patients are in a debilitating state with limited access. It is an effort to bridge the gap and provide dignity to patients by focusing on comfort, respect, and emotional support during critical moments."
The institution offers nursing programmes in palliative care and maintains a 10-bed facility. They plan to upgrade four beds to HDU status, The
National Programme for Palliative Care
(NPPC) guidelines suggest establishing units in tertiary
hospitals and medical colleges
.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


New Indian Express
24 minutes ago
- New Indian Express
NMC nod for all 34 government medical colleges in Telangana
HYDERABAD: The National Medical Commission (NMC) has approved all 34 government medical colleges in Telangana for the academic year 2025–26, following a review of earlier flagged deficiencies. On June 13, the NMC had issued notices to 26 of these colleges, citing issues related to infrastructure and faculty. In response, the Health department formed 10 Medical College Monitoring Committees on June 23 to inspect and prepare college-specific plans. According to an official statement issued by the department on Wednesday, the NMC granted permission on Tuesday for all the colleges, including the 26 previously under scrutiny, to continue operating for the current academic cycle. The department clarified that no penalties were levied, and all 4,090 MBBS seats across the institutions would remain unaffected. 'The NMC has acknowledged the state government's measures to address faculty shortages. A promotion drive has been carried out to meet teaching requirements and regulatory norms,' the statement said. The NMC has directed that pending compliance issues be addressed within four months, and confirmed that the existing approvals for all colleges remain valid. As part of the staffing initiative, 44 senior professors have been promoted as Additional Directors of Medical Education and deployed as principals and hospital superintendents. Additionally, 278 associate professors have been promoted to professors, and 231 assistant professors to associate professors. MBBS counselling to start soon A notification has also been issued to fill 607 assistant professor posts through direct recruitment via the Medical and Health Services Recruitment Board (MHSRB). The Finance department has sanctioned 714 more faculty posts. In response to concerns over inadequate bed capacity in some teaching hospitals, the state government has initiated the addition of over 6,000 beds across 21 hospitals, aimed at improving patient care and clinical training. MBBS counselling is expected to begin shortly, with Kaloji Narayana Rao University of Health Sciences finalising arrangements. The state NEET ranks will be announced soon, after which counselling will proceed as per Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) guidelines. STaffing Initiative


New Indian Express
3 hours ago
- New Indian Express
Comply with NMC's biometric system, TN medical colleges told
TIRUNELVELI: The Directorate of Medical Education and Research has issued a circular instructing deans of 36 government medical colleges to ensure Aadhaar Enabled Biometric Attendance System (AEBAS) entry and exit for faculty members and resident doctors in line with National Medical Commission (NMC) norms. Citing a show cause notice issued by NMC to the colleges, the directorate sought an action taken report from the deans. In a public notice dated April 16, the NMC had instructed all medical colleges to fully switch to face-based Aadhaar authentication from May 1. As per the new system, attendance can be marked only within a 100-metre radius of a designated GPS location inside the college campus. 'The new system has already been implemented in Tamil Nadu medical colleges. In Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital (TvMCH), doctors can register their attendance at three different locations,' said a surgeon. An official from the DME office said the new system has forced private medical college faculties to remain on campus during working hours. 'After the system was introduced, many faculty members, especially retired government doctors working in private colleges, have started renting houses near their colleges. Those who used some tricks to bypass the fingerprint method can no longer do so with the face and GPS-based system. Government doctors, too, are being compelled to reduce private practice during duty hours,' he added.


Hans India
3 hours ago
- Hans India
Big breather for TG govt as NMC green lights all 34 medical colleges
Hyderabad: In a big relief to the state government, the National Medical Commission (NMC) has accorded approval to all the 34 government medical colleges in Telangana and announced that all 4,090 MBBS seats allocated to these institutions would continue without any disruption for the academic year. The NMC has expressed satisfaction for the comprehensive measures undertaken by the Government of Telangana to address faculty shortages across medical colleges. A significant promotion drive was implemented to enhance teaching capacity and meet regulatory norms. As part of the faculty strengthening measures, 44 Senior Professors have been promoted as Additional Directors of Medical Education, and deployed as Principals of Government Medical Colleges and Superintendents of associated Teaching Hospitals. As many as 278 Associate Professors were elevated to the position of Professor, thereby resolving shortages in leadership roles across departments. The promotion process has been initiated for 231 Assistant Professors to the rank of Associate Professor. Owing to restrictions on direct recruitment to higher academic positions (Associate Professor, Professor, and Additional DME), these posts were being filled through internal promotions as per applicable rules. In addition a notification was issued to fill 607 Assistant Professor posts through direct recruitment by the Medical and Health Services Recruitment Board (MHSRB). The Finance Department has sanctioned recruitment for an additional 714 positions, further strengthening faculty availability. These initiatives were presented in detail to the NMC by the Department of Medical Education, and the Commission expressed its satisfaction with the state's commitment to strengthening the medical education ecosystem. As part of the infrastructure augmentation and in response to concerns raised by the NMC regarding bed capacity in some teaching hospitals, the Government initiated the establishment of over 6,000 additional beds across 21 teaching hospitals, ensuring enhanced patient care and clinical exposure for students. To institutionalize continuous monitoring and ensure quality standards, the Government constituted Medical College Monitoring Committees (MCMCs) for each institution. These committees have been tasked with regular inspections and development planning, ensuring alignment with NMC norms and academic standards. Officials also apprised the NMC of the unprecedented establishment of 25 new government medical colleges between 2022 and 2024. Construction of requisite academic infrastructure and affiliated teaching hospitals was currently underway. The NMC has reviewed the progress and advised expedited completion to make facilities operational for student benefit. The Commission has directed that all outstanding compliance issues be resolved within four months, and confirmed that existing permissions remain valid for all institutions. The Kaloji Narayana Rao University of Health Sciences is finalizing preparations to commence the MBBS counselling process. NEET state ranks were expected to be released shortly, following which counselling will be conducted as per the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) guidelines and schedule.