Karnataka introduces MD course in palliative care

Karnataka: The state will introduce MD course in palliative care. This news follows the recent development of the state's palliative care policy to be introduced soon. This three-year course will start from the next academic year. It will be offered at the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS), to be run at the Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology. Kidwai hospital is the third medical institute to offer this course in India, after Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai and All-India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi.

"This course has been included in the schedule of the Post Graduate Medical Education Regulations, 2000 by the Medical Council of India (MCI). Students trained in palliative care will be able to treat cancer patients and those with non-malignant conditions like chronic renal disorders, HIV, AIDS, chronic neurological problems and those with cerebra-vascular accidents and dementia. The course will be taught as per the curriculum developed by RGUHS," said Dr KB Lingegowda, director, professor and head of the department of palliative medicine, Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology (KIMO) to TOI.

The Kidwai's department of palliative medicine faculty will teach the new course. The faculty will include a professor, an associate professor and an assistant associate professor.

Lingegowda in addition implied that exact seats to be offered will be worked out by MCI. The council will first assess the facilities in the institute. Admission for four students is proposed, after an MCI approval is granted, A student has to be an MBBS to be eligible for admission to the course. Besides, students will be given training on providing palliative care. He also emphasized that palliative medicine is at the forefront now. Palliative care is now essential as close to 80% of KMIO patients have entered into an advanced stage of the disease.

This course will train medical personnel to provide care for terminally ill patients and people suffering from chronic conditions. The module will be developed by the health department, implied by Lingegowda.