Patients, care-givers can now find relief on palliative care helpline

In a country where basic medical intervention is a luxury, the idea of palliative care for long-term degenerative illness scarcely finds space.

- Namita Devidayal

To bridge that gap, a national helpline, Saath-Saath, was launched last month to offer respite to patients and their care-givers. In just two weeks, it has received 200-odd anguished calls from across the country, with queries ranging from “Where can I find a wig?” to “Can I leave my Alzheimer’s-afflicted father at home when I go to work?” to “I just cannot cope…”

The helpline (1-800-202-7777) first reassures the callers that they are not alone, hears them out, and then connects them to the relevant palliative organisation in their area. A man who was feeling isolated after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s was referred to a support group in Hyderabad; a poor, uneducated cancer patient camping in a gurudwara in Mumbai, was suddenly surrounded by loving volunteers who helped alleviate her acute pain. Some call seeking information on home care, some are in financial distress. Many just want to hear a kind voice. “We have seen broken families come together because they suddenly have that additional layer of support,” says Rumana Hamied, managing trustee of the Cipla Foundation, which runs the helpline.