Star Hospitals, Hyderabad has launched a dedicated pain and palliative care service for cancer patients. Former Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu inaugurated it. It is the first private hospital in the city to offer such a service in a comprehensive cancer care programme.
Star Hospitals on Thursday launched Dedicated Pain and Palliative Care Services for cancer patients at its Cancer Center in Nanakramguda, Hyderabad. Former Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu inaugurated the facility. With this initiative, Star Hospitals becomes the first private hospital in Hyderabad to include a dedicated and full-scale Pain and Palliative Care service in its comprehensive cancer care programme, the hospital said.
The launch event was attended by Star Hospitals Chairman and Founder Promoter Dr. Gopichand Mannam, Director and Founder Promoter Dr. Ramesh Gudpati, Senior Consultant and Head of Medical Oncology Dr. Sainath Bhethanbhotla, Senior Consultant and Head of Surgical Oncology Dr. Vipin Goyal, Former Director Jairaj Kumar P and social worker Pradeep Choudhary and others.
Emphasis on holistic and patient-centered care
Speaking on the occasion, Naidu said that this initiative reflects the hospital’s commitment to provide holistic and patient-centric cancer care. He said, “Palliative care is not a substitute for active treatment, nor is it reserved only for the final stages of the disease. It works in conjunction with curative and life-sustaining therapy, providing an additional layer of specialized support that enhances the patient’s quality of life during treatment.”
Naidu also stressed the importance of cancer prevention, regular health checkups, screening programs and early detection. He said that early diagnosis is important for successful treatment.
What is special in the new service?
This newly launched service will provide pain and symptom management from the earliest stages of diagnosis along with proactive treatments such as chemotherapy, radiation and surgery.
The service will also provide advanced pain relief through targeted interventional procedures including nerve blocks and intrathecal pumps as well as customized pain management protocols.
The hospital said the initiative will provide multidisciplinary support through psycho-oncology, nutritional counselling, physical rehabilitation and 24/7 emergency pain support.
What did the experts say?
Dr. Sainath Bhethanbhotla said the focus of cancer care should not only be on extending life, but also on ensuring comfort and dignity during the treatment journey. “By integrating palliative care with active medical oncology treatments from the beginning, we ensure that our patients maintain their strength, comfort and peace of mind throughout their treatment journey,” he said.
Dr. Vipin Goyal said that relieving pain and restoring daily comfort are equally important aspects of cancer treatment. “Dedicated palliative oncology allows us to provide comfortable, comprehensive relief and procedural pain control so patients can undergo therapy with minimal discomfort,” he said.
Dr. Ramesh Gudapathi said the launch is in line with the hospital’s founding vision of combining clinical excellence with compassionate and compassionate care.
Honored for contribution to cancer care
As part of the event, several individuals and healthcare professionals were honored for their contributions to cancer care. Pradeep Chaudhary, Managing Director, Gemini Edibles & Fats India Limited, was honored for helping provide free cancer treatment to underprivileged patients.
Dr. Gowda Srihari, Senior Consultant, Surgical Oncology, Laparoscopic and Minimally Invasive Surgery at Star Hospitals, was honored for completing 1,000 free cancer surgeries.
Dr. Gayatri Palat, Associate Professor of Pain and Palliative Medicine, MNJ Institute of Oncology and Regional Cancer Centre, Hyderabad, was honored for her efforts in setting up dedicated palliative care services in the public sector.
The staff of Star Hospitals were also honored for their selfless service, compassion and commitment towards patient welfare. (ANI)
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