ICMR to launch multi-state study to expand palliative care coverage

New Delhi: With less than 1% of patients in India requiring palliative care, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) will launch a multi-state implementation study to develop and expand services across the public health system.Palliative care—focused on relieving pain and improving quality of life for patients with serious illnesses such as cancer, neurological disorders, and advanced chronic illnesses—remains out of reach for most Indians.However, the need is huge. Studies estimate that 6.21 people per 1,000 people in India require palliative care, with the need higher in rural areas and among the elderly. Globally, 56.8 million people require such care every year, the majority of whom live in low- and middle-income countries.Experts warn the burden will increase dramatically. The World Health Organization predicts that serious health-related suffering will increase by 87% by 2060 due to an aging population and a surge in non-communicable diseases.Despite this, access to health services in India remains one of the lowest in the world, due to factors including a shortage of trained personnel, limited primary services, regulatory hurdles and poor integration with the healthcare system.For families, the impact is severe. Lack of access to care often results in high out-of-pocket costs and heavy care burden, especially for patients who require long-term or home care.The proposed study aims to develop and test a scalable palliative care model across district hospitals, community health centres, primary health centers and home settings, covering patients of different age groups and illnesses.It will assess whether integrating palliative care into routine medical services can improve coverage, reduce symptom burden, reduce hospitalization rates and reduce household costs.ICMR has invited research teams to participate in the study and the selected groups are expected to collaborate with state governments and ICMR to design and implement the model.Public health experts say the move could mark a turning point. If scaled up effectively, it could help ensure patients not only live longer, but also suffer less.