Aligarh, February 09: “Head and neck cancer is still the biggest challenge in India and Palliative Care can play an important role to reduce the difficulties of a cancer patient”, said Dr. Mhoira E.F. Leng, Director of Cairdeas International, United Kingdom while addressing the inaugural function of theSymposium on Cancer Pain and Palliative Care.
The symposium had been organized by the Department of Anesthesiology of the J.N. Medical College at the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU).
Dr. Leng highlighted the need of cancer pain management and palliative care in every field of medical specialties. She said that palliative care is working in a significant way in Kerala and appreciated the efforts of the J.N. Medical College in this direction considering it one of the leaders in palliative care.
Earlier, Faculty of Medicine Dean S. Abrar Hasan, in his welcome remarks had said that the symposium would bring some relief to those patients who are suffering from cancer pain and praised the Department of Anesthesiology for regularly organizing patient care activities.
Principal and chief medical superintendent of J.N. Medical College M. Ashraf Malik said that pain is a problem of all specialties and hoped that the J. N. Medical College will be able to establish a new centre soon.
Programme Coordinator Hammad Usmani said that the aim of the symposium is to develop a framework where all palliative care services could be provided under one roof.
This system of palliative care is well established in Kerala as people serve selflessly and donate money regularly. Even a few rupees aid may help cancer patients so that they do not die alone and in pain.
Dr. Shivani Agrawal, Junior Resident II said that two-third of the parent suffering from cancer experience pain and majority of them are denied pain medications due to various reasons, the most important of which is opiophobia, that is, the fear of opioids among doctors, nurses and family members.
–IANS