Head of Department
Pediatric Palliative and Supportive Care Unit Bai Jerbai Wadia Hospital for Children Parel, Mumbai
Senior Project Manager
Resonance
This position statement for palliative care in pediatric oncology will address gaps in palliative care in the country by training, developing guidelines and establishing joint clinics with focus on paediatric palliative care.
The first guidelines for integrated pediatric palliative care in oncology were published in 2013. Inadequate emphasis and resources have meant that there are currently significant gaps in the delivery of integrated PPC for this cohort in our setting. This position statement reiterates the need for collective resolve and commitment and gives a roadmap to making effective palliative care a reality for every child and adolescent with cancer in India.
Children suffering from cancer should have access to high quality care across different regions and facilities. It helps in maintaining continuity of care from the initial to post treatment phase and reducing the discontinuity in care. It also helps in Monitoring and Surveillance.
A standardized aftercare model and surveillance guidelines will help in facilitating consistent data collection on patient outcomes, which can be valuable for research purposes too. By having clear guidelines in place, healthcare providers can better allocate resources for aftercare services based on identified needs and priorities.
The first meeting was held on 1st June 2024 on zoom on “Adaptation of COG guidelines for India”. The next step includes, identifying the essential late effects according to India and working on the guidelines