Some of the training programs being conducted or recently being introduced is as the following:

Training of the hospital doctors as the faculty:

Two doctors, Dr. G Durga Prasad and Dr. P Sreenivasan went on behalf of the institute to undergo a six weeks training program conducted by Professor MR Rajagopal, on Palliative Medicine, at Amrita institute of Medical Sciences , Kochi .

Dr Durga Prasad subsequently was sent from the institute for a one month training in Palliative Medicine in November, 2006, at MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston , Texas , USA .

He also did a one week 'training the trainers' program at Tata Memorial Hospotal, Mumbai (TMH), which was conducted jointly by Pallium India, Oxford Palliative Care Centre and TMH.

Training of Post-Graduate Students: All the post graduate students of radiation oncology of the institution undergo one month compulsory rotation learning the basics of palliative care, communication, ethics and pain management.

Training of Doctors: A formal six weeks certificate course on basics of palliative care, pain and symptom control, communication, ethics and development of palliative care services is being offered for doctors who wish to practice palliative care. The teaching faculty involve renowned teachers from India and abroad.

Training of Nurses: A formal six weeks certificate course on basics of palliative care, pain and symptom control, communication, ethics and development of palliative care services is being offered for nurses who wish to practice palliative nursing. The teaching faculty involve renowned teachers from India and abroad.

Sensitisation courses on palliative care for doctors, nurses and volunteers:

Foundation courses on palliative care for doctors, nurses and volunteers.

Some of the workshops and sensitization programs which were being conducted:

One day workshop on Palliative Care, September, 2005:

It was a workshop meant for doctors and nurses. The faculty involved world renowned teachers like Dr Eduardo Bruera and Dr. Suresh Reddy from MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston , Texas.

A Guest Lecture on End of Life Care, August, 2005:

A guest lecture was delivered by Dr. Sushma S Nakka, Fellow in Hematology and Oncology, Maimonides Medical Center , USA

One Day Workshop on Basics of Palliative Care, April, 2006:

Distinguished faculty like Dr. Stuart Brown, Director, INCTR, Dr. Robin Love, Dr. Fraser Black and Dr. Rajagopal, Chairman, Pallium India , had conducted the workshop.

One day Sensitisation Program for the Volunteers Working for Patients with Incurable Illnesses:

On the occasion of the World Palliative Care Day Celebration, we conducted a sensitization program for the volunteers working with patients suffering from incurable illnesses in the community. The Project Director, APSAC, Dr Ashok Kumar and the Director, MNJ IO were the chief guests for the program.

Opioid Availability

As pain remains one of the most common symptoms among patients suffering from incurable disease like cancer, HIV and AIDS, chronic kidney, heart and neurological diseases, we are working very closely with the government to amend the laws related to opioid availability so that drugs like oral morphine are more easily available for medical use. The proposal has already been submitted.

State Policy related to Palliative Care

There are around 2 lakh people suffering from cancer in our state at any given time and more than two-third of them are in advanced stage. Andhra Pradesh is also fast becoming the state with highest number of people living with HIV and AIDS.

As WHO recommends, Pain relief and palliative care programs should be an integral part of any comprehensive cancer and AIDS program and it should be incorporated into the existing health care systems.

To reach the benefit out to one and all needy in the state, we are working with the government to integrate palliative care with the mainstream health care delivery system. For this a well-defined and planned state palliative care policy is essential. We have already submitted a draft proposal for the same with the Directorate of Medical Education and the Project Director, APSAC.