Difficulties in Providing Palliative Care in Rural India (West Bengal) – Experience of an NGO

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Introduction: As in any developing countries state of West Bengal in India has a huge burden of cancer patients in advanced stage coming from rural area where awareness regarding the usefulness of palliative care in rather poor.

Aim(s): Our goal is to give a pain free good quality of life in these advanced stage cancer patients. Objective of this study is to identify the main difficulties in achieving the above goal in a rural village setting in India.

Materials and methods: Advanced cancer patients in need of palliative care in various villages in of rural India were selected for this study. Their symptoms and managements in that rural surroundings were evaluated by an NGO (under the guidance of a senior palliative care specialist) working in that area. An attempt was made to identify the main obstacles in getting proper palliative care in a rural setting.

Conference: 17th Annual ENETSConcerence (2020)

Presenting Author:

Authors: Mandal N,

Keywords: Cancer, palliative care, rural India, psychological,