PGIMS Rohtak to establish first dedicated palliative care ward

With this initiative, this facility will become Haryana's first dedicated centre to provide relief to patients grappling with severe pain and incurable diseases during the final stages of their lives. This ward is intended to provide humane care for such patients and their families.

Doctors from the departments of Medicine, Anaesthesia, Pediatrics, and Surgery will jointly manage patients in the wards.

The initiative has been undertaken under the guidance of Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini and Health Minister Aarti Rao, informed Dr HK Aggarwal, Vice Chancellor, University of Health Sciences Rohtak, which operates the PGIMS.

This proposal was put forward by Dr Kundan Mittal, the Medical Superintendent of PGIMS. He emphasised the urgent need for a special facility for patients who are unable to eat, are experiencing severe pain, or whose families are no longer able to provide them with adequate care at home.

Therefore, this specialised ward will provide care for both adult and paediatric patients. Its primary focus will lie not only on medical treatment but also on improving the quality of life for patients battling life-threatening illnesses. Under this facility, issues such as physical pain, breathing difficulties, emotional distress, and the need for psychological support will be addressed.

While speaking to the Tribune, Dr Mittal said, “We often witness cancer patients, organ failure cases and elderly patients suffering immensely in their final stages. Families feel helpless as they struggle to manage them at home while hospital facilities remain limited. In many cases, prolonged ICU treatment in private hospitals also creates emotional and financial stress for families”.

Currently, no such dedicated 'palliative care' facility exists in any government hospital within the state. Consequently, PGIMS Rohtak has become the state's first government institution to institutionalise care for critical and end-of-life stages.