CanSupport promotes a learning experience in the principles, practices, and communication in Palliative Care to equip, empower & encourage healthcare personnel to offer effective and compassionate Palliative Care in their unique practice settings resulting in more widespread and sustainable care delivery.

On 12 June, CanSupport signed an MOU with Civil Surgeon, Gurugram to run a 6-month pilot in Gurugram's three rural, high cancer prevalence sub-districts.

Under this project, CanSupport is going to integrate Palliative Care with the prevailing public primary and secondary healthcare system from PHC level to district level towards overcoming fragmentation in Palliative care services in the community.

This initiative by CanSupport is based on global research which shows that to avoid or reduce overcrowding in hospitals, palliative care is needed in the community and patients' homes. It is important that pain relief and palliative care programs should be incorporated into existing healthcare systems and that palliative care be accessible in patients’ homes.

Many palliative care concerns that commonly generate a referral to more specialist care can be competently dealt with at the PHC and CHC level. These include uncomplicated pain or other symptoms associated with serious conditions. Available data indicate that palliative care integrated into PHC can be both of high quality and cost-effective.

This integration also may save money for healthcare systems and provide financial risk protection for patients’ families by reducing dependency on hospital outpatient and inpatient services. The involvement of community health workers and community volunteers in palliative home care also may increase social solidarity and cohesion.