GUWAHATI, Oct 12 - Dr B Borooah Cancer Institute (BBCI), Guwahati celebrated World Hospice and Palliative Care Day in association with State Cancer Institute and Guwahati Pain and Palliative Care Society here today.
World Hospice and Palliative Care Day is a unified day of action to celebrate and support hospice and palliative care globally every year on the second Saturday in October. It is organised by a committee of the Worldwide Hospice Palliative Care Alliance (WHPCA), a network of hospice and palliative care worldwide.
The theme for this year�s celebration is �My Care, My Right.� It aims to communicate that palliative care can be demanded by the persons having life-limiting illnesses and so that they can influence their policymakers to prioritise palliative care financing under universal health coverage.
The institute organised a public meeting to mobilise the community to encourage palliative care and also to raise the voice for making the palliative care service a part of universal health coverage.
On the occasion, Dolly Roychoudhury was felicitated by the institute for her long-term contribution as a volunteer in the field of palliative care. The Fahmida Yesmin Rahman Memorial Cancer Trust distributed fruits among the admitted patients at BBCI.
Dr Amal Chandra Kataki, Director of BBCI, while speaking about the importance of palliative care service for the cancer patients of the North-Eastern States, said courses are available at BBCI for the general public who want to volunteer for the betterment of cancer patients.
The meeting was attended by Dr Dinesh Baishya, former principal of B Borooah College, Guwahati. He highlighted the importance of volunteers in the caring of terminally-ill cancer patients.
Dr Dinesh Chandra Goswami stressed the need for a definitive policy on palliative care to be enacted by the government, which is important for providing palliative care for every needy patient.
Earlier, Dr Kabindra Bhagabati, medical officer-cum-in-charge of the Palliative Medicine Department at BBCI, delivered the welcome address.
Tarun Sonowal, a social worker of the institute, offered the vote of thanks.
