Bangalore Hospice Trust-Karunashraya, a non-profit hospice care centre for advanced cancer patients in the city, inaugurated a new education and research centre and an OPD block on Sunday.
Located near Kundalahalli Gate, the centre is a joint project by the Indian Cancer Society (Karnataka Chapter) and Rotary Bangalore Indiranagar. It provides free palliative care to terminal cancer patients. The new facility is named Bagchi Education and Research Centre after the substantial donors Susmita and Subroto Bagchi.
The two-storied building will have all the units of the Karunashraya Institute of Palliative Care Education and Research (KIPCER), including a 100 seater auditorium, library, outpatient department, a canteen and a charity shop.
The OPD will bolster Karunashraya’s existing infrastructure, including the 23-year-old in-patient facility that supported thousands of patients over the years.
The trust established the KIPCER to enhance the quality of palliative care to patients at the centre.
The enhanced facilities have enabled the centre to focus beyond oncology into other fields like cardiology, pulmonology and nephrology.
“With all the new technology and equipment, the focus is still more on providing acute care. Therefore, it is extremely important for people to know the realm of palliative care. We know that it means pain relief and some degree of psychosocial care. But there is so much more to it and that is why educating people about the concept becomes important,” said Dr Pratima Murthy, Director, Nimhans.
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