Telangana has become a frontrunner in State-supported cancer treatment by opening palliative care centres in eight districts in partnership with the Pain Relief and Palliative Care Society since 2017.
Earlier, in 2007, the government-run MNJ Cancer Institute partnered Two Worlds Cancer Collaboration, a Canadian NGO, to set up a palliative care facility at the institute in Hyderabad.
Palliative care is generally neglected though it is an essential part of cancer treatment. Funds exist for palliative care under the National Health Programme, but go unutilised because of ignorance and lack of medical training.
Civil Society spoke to. . .