On December 3, 2020, CanSupport organized a webinar on End-of-Life Guidelines.
The expert panel of speakers included:
- Dr. Sushma Bhatnagar: Professor & Head, Onco-anesthesia & Palliative Medicine, AIIMS, New Delhi
- Dr. R. K. Mani: Director Strategy and Covid Management, Yashoda Hospitals, Ghaziabad
- Dr. Bhawna Sirohi: Lead Medical Oncologist, Apollo Proton Cancer Centre, Chennai
- Dr. Dhvani Mehta: Co-Founder, Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy, New Delhi
- Harmala Gupta: Founder-President, CanSupport
- Dr. Reena Sharma: Head-Palliative Care Field Services, CanSupport
- Dr. Ravinder Mohan: Head- KTER, CanSupport – Moderator
The webinar kicked off with Dr. Sushma Bhatnagar's presentation on End-of-Life Care -Issues and perspectives. She said that medical science knowledge was only complete after learning about End- of- Life Issues and Perspectives and was convinced that 'death' must be made a part of the curriculum, part of the journey of a disease. Just as diagnosis, treatment, and palliative care were important, so was End of Life Care.
Dr. Bhatnagar also shared that AIIMS which is the biggest premier medical institute after a great effort and a long journey was able to introduce an End- of- Life Care policy so that people who are admitted to the hospital can have a dignified end.
The purpose of this policy on End-of-Life Care is to minimize symptoms and enable a dignified, pain-free dying process in terminally and chronically ill patients irrespective of whether they are in the hospital, at home, or in a hospice.
Harmala Gupta while addressing the question on how do we ensure compliance to the End-of-Life Care guidelines said, "I think to have a “good death” it's important to start having these conversations early. And unfortunately, that doesn't happen in our country because we are all reluctant to talk about death. Our medical training is lacking. Medicine is an art as much as it is a science. To show compassion, to the human being and not just the disease or the condition. This training must start early with young doctors at the graduate, undergraduate level and senior doctors must become their role models. As much as we talk about cancer awareness, early detection, the early treatment we also need to talk about cancer mortality."
What are the components of a “good death”? Dr. Reena addressed this question and said, "In palliative care, we aim to give a good life to the patient but at the same time make sure that the patient also has a "good death". Good death means a dignified death, death at the place of their choice which is usually their home, a pain-free death. In emotional and psychological comfort, in the presence of their loved ones. In palliative care, this is what we try to achieve."
End-of-Life Care should be part of the medical and nursing curriculum. When and how will that happen?
Dr. Sushma Bhatnagar shared that, "End of Life Care curriculum has already been given to nursing council of India and they are planning to start a compulsory program in their nursing curriculum. As well as they are also planning to start End of Life Care in all medical colleges. AIIMS has already given this proposal. At the undergrad level also many colleges have started this module. Without an understanding of palliative care, no one can become a complete doctor. Things are happening in our country towards creating awareness about palliative care and End of Life Care. In the next 5 to 10 years all the doctors getting trained now will be trained on palliative care and End- of- Life Care”.
You can watch the entire webinar on our Facebook page.
Please click the link below to view the webinar: