KERALA PALLIATIVE CARE INITIATIVE MEDICAL SEMINAR

KERALA PALLIATIVE CARE INITIATIVE

MEDICAL SEMINAR

Kerala Palliative Care Committee

Sarasan Kottarakara, Babu Oommen, Prof. John Kurakar

The power of healing does not lie in just prescribing drugs and medical treatment.  What it essentially requires is caring for the patients. Palliative Care is a specialized area of healthcare that focuses on relieving and preventing the suffering of patients. It includes care of the patient and family, pain and symptom management, disease-modifying treatments, psychological, social, spiritual support and bereavement support. In essential services such as health and education, government support is a great add-on for most grassroots revolutions. Two-third of the palliative care initiatives of the country are in Kerala. There are more than 200 community based organizations running palliative care initiatives in the state in addition to the 300 Government palliative care initiatives. Kerala Palliative Care Initiative is  a New organization   established on 2011 at Kottarakara.

The Executive Committee meeting of the Kerala Palliative Care Initiative was held at Kurakar Town Center, Kottarakara on 27^th April, 2012 at 11 am. Prof. John Kurakar, President, Kerala Palliative Care Initiative presided. Dr. C.R Jaya Shankar, Supt. Govt. Thaluk Hospital,Kottarakara inaugurated the Seminar. Mrs. Devi Balan, Co-ordinator, Department of Health, Kollam gave keynote address. Mr. Neelaswaram Sadasivan,, Mr. G.Balakrishnan Nair, Mr.Babu Oomman, Prof. Molly Kurakar, Mr. Shaji Elambal, Mr. Sarasan Kottarakara, Mr. Y. Scaria, Mr. Simson John, Mrs. Sunitha addressed the meeting. Mr. K George kutty welcomed the members. The Committee decided to conduct the following Meetings in the month of May-2012.1- Representatives of Residents Associations   2- Representatives Retired Employees Association 3- Representatives Social Service Organizations. 4-Formal inauguration functions of the Kerala Palliative Care Initiative.

                                        Prof. John Kurakar