The hospice will focus on reducing pain, suffering, anxiety and emotional distress experienced by patients in the terminal stages of cancer.
| Photo Credit: file photo
In a move aimed at improving end-of-life care for terminally ill cancer patients, the State-run Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology is preparing to establish a dedicated 50-bed pain relief and palliative care centre (hospice).
It seeks to ensure that patients in the advanced stages of cancer are able to spend their final days with dignity.
The proposed hospice, to function under the Department of Palliative Medicine at this recognised Centre of Excellence in Oncology, will be built at an estimated cost of ₹2 crore. A three-storey building will be constructed on a 6,000 to 8,000 sq. ft. site within the institute’s campus, with a private organisation funding and executing the project under its corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative.
The construction is expected to begin within a month, with the facility likely to be ready by the end of 2026.
The hospice will focus on reducing pain, suffering, anxiety and emotional distress experienced by patients in the terminal stages of cancer, while also offering psychological and emotional support to their families.
“End-of-life care is as important as treatment at the beginning of life, and patients deserve compassion and respect in their final phase,” said Naveen T., Institute Director (additional charge).
Facility details
The three-storey structure will have patient care wards on the ground and first floors, while the upper floor will provide space for attendants, family members and support staff. Medical manpower, medicines and day-to-day operations will be managed by Kidwai, while the building, equipment and infrastructure will be provided through CSR support by Garuda Foundation.
Hospice care is a specialised form of medical support for patients who no longer have curative treatment options. Unlike conventional treatment, hospice care focuses on managing symptoms rather than the disease itself.
M.K. Yaduraj, Head of the Department of Palliative Medicine at the institute, said pain is controlled using appropriate medications such as morphine and oxygen is provided for breathlessness. “Equal attention is given to emotional, psychological and spiritual needs. It is a family-centred model of care, where caregivers are also supported during an extremely difficult time,” the doctor said.
Growing need
Kidwai sees around 3,000 outpatients and admits around 750 inpatients daily. Every year, about 24,000 new cancer patients are treated, with over three lakh patients coming for follow-up care. Nearly 20% of them require palliative or hospice services.
Dr. Naveen said the new centre would be the first hospice in a State government hospital in Karnataka to provide comprehensive pain relief and end-of-life care.
Home-based palliative care plan
Kidwai Institute has also drawn up a phased plan to expand home-based palliative care for terminally ill cancer patients who are unable to travel to the hospital due to advanced illness or immobility.
Under Phase I, services will be extended to patients living within a 10-km radius of the institute. A dedicated team comprising a doctor, nursing staff, a social worker and a volunteer will visit patients at home to provide symptom management, wound care, counselling and caregiver guidance, said M.K. Yaduraj, Head of the Department of Palliative Medicine at the institute.
“Patients will be identified during outpatient visits and followed up through a structured telemedicine programme, including scheduled video consultations. Home visits will be undertaken when patients show worsening symptoms or require in-person clinical assessment,” Dr. Yaduraj said.
“The programme will subsequently be expanded to cover a 20-km followed by 30-km radius around the institute,” he added.
Published – December 13, 2025 07:50 pm IST
