The concept itself is relatively new in Bangladesh. In short, 'Palliative care' means 'taking care of patients suffering from pain for a long time'. Any patient suffering from intense pain like cancer to renal diseases or paralysis requiring long term care can get benefit from this. The objective of this is to improve the quality of life and render living acceptable.
People requiring palliative care have different types of problems. Some of them are — a. Physical problems: These arise out of pain, nausea and vomiting, breathlessness, ulcers that do not heal. b. Psychological problems: depression, anger or denial in response to the illness, emotional isolation. c. Social problems: Unemployment, inadequate finance for medical treatment / hospitalisation. Loneliness and abandonment by children or relatives.
Bangladesh Palliative & Supportive Care Foundation has been formed recently. While Asians have a long tradition of home-based spiritual and religious care of the dying, there has been no proper contemporary palliative care until relatively recently in our country. But certainly Bangladesh Palliative Care Foundation needs consultation with World Health Organisation and the government of Bangladesh to form a forum for activities aimed at caring people with life limiting illness such as Cancer, AIDS and end-stage chronic medical diseases. Their main mission is to promote affordable and quality palliative care across the country.
In fact, with some changes in objectives, facilities, staff training and physical infrastructure, many of the existing 'old homes' in our country can be converted into reasonably good palliative care centers right away. Today is the 'World Palliative Day'. This year's message is "Sharing the care". Let's work on this discipline more seriously and sincerely.