Kerala: an exemplary story in palliative care

Abstract

Achapan (70) lives with his wife, daughter, and his grandson atop a hill in Wayanad, Kerala. He built his two-room house through a State housing scheme for Scheduled Tribes. He worked as a daily-wage labourer till he had a stroke at his work site in 2009. Since then, he has had multiple episodes of hospitalisation. For follow-ups and medicines, Achapan walked at least 12 km through the hilly terrain to the nearest government medical facility. In 2018, a Wayanad-based community palliative care organisation arranged weekly home visits by a nurse and a volunteer team for Achapan. They provide free medicines and doctor visits when required. In these ways, the community organisation provides ‘total care.’