Govt of Telangana is considering entering into Palliative care in partnership with private: KT Rama Rao

Sparsh Hospice requested the Govt to bring in Palliative Care and Treatment into Aarogray Shree. They also requested the state government to exempt Sparsh Hospice from Municipal, Water and Electricity charges

The 60,000 sft facility is constructed at 1.1 acres land leased out by Govt of Telangana

The facility is built at Rs 15crore, funded by donations will provide free care to terminally ill cancer patients

The new palliative care is equipped with pediatric palliative care, physiotherapy room, Audio Visual Room, Library, Gym, Lounge, Nursing Dormitory, Doctors’ Residence and Exclusive Pharmacy

All the facilities provided here are free of cost.

New Delhi, September 04, 2021: Mr KT. Rama Rao, Minister for IT, Industries, MA & UD, Government of Telangana inaugurates new palliative care facility of Sparsh Hospice in the city at Adjacent to Oakridge School, Khajaguda. Dr Mahesh Kotbagi of Director, Rotary International and Varaprasad Reddy graced the inaugural function as Guest of Honour.

The facility was inaugurated in the presence of Vikas Ranka, President of Rotary Club of Banjara Hills and Trustees Dr. M. Subrahmanyam, Suresh Reddy, Jagadish Ramadugu and Ram Mohan Rao Yarrapothu, CEO of Sparsh Hospice, Jayesh Ranjan, Principal Secretary, DGP Mahender Reddy, SCSC Secretary Mr Krishna Yedula and others.

Speaking on the occasion after the inauguration, Mr. KIT Rama Rao said when I first visited Sparsh Hospice in the year 2014, I didn’t know what was palliative care. Later after visiting it I came to know so much about it and it is a great service to humanity. The Government of Telangana is considering entering into palliative care. I learnt from Health Secretary that the Government is actively considering but with the partnership with the private he said.

Vikas Ranka, President of Rotary Club of Banjara Hills welcomed the gathering.

Responding to the requests made on behalf of Sparsh Hospice to given Municipal Tax, Water Tax exemption, considering it is a great humanitarian service, Mr. Rama Rao who laid the foundation of in 2017 and now inauguration said it will be done. He promised to exempt Sparsh Hospice from Municipal Tax and Water Tax.

We as politicians go to many functions. But some functions leave a lasting impression on us. And one such impression was a visit to Sparsh Hospice. He told organizers that he would be there just a call away for any help for them. He volunteered and said we are more than happy to support you in all your endeavours he told the managing trustee of Sparsh Hospice.

Quoting Sri Sri he said, death is also like a marriage. It must be celebrated.

Quoting a song from Akali Eajyam, KT Rama Rao recalled its lyrics Swatantra desamlo chaavu koodaa pellilaantide bradar(in any independent country death is also like a marriage). And said yes, why not we clelebrate the death.

KTR lauded the services of Sparsh Hospice for giving healing touch for the last 10 years. He also appreciated them for making this project a dream to reality.

It is India’s one of the two biggest palliative care facilities, besides that, it is the most ultra-modern Palliative Care and Hospice in entire India informs Ram Mohan Rao Yarrapothu, CEO of Sparsh Hospice

Palliative care is interdisciplinary medical care aimed at optimizing the quality of life and mitigating suffering among people with serious, complex illnesses and end-stage cancer patients.

Sparsh Hospice, an initiative of Rotary Club of Banjara Hills Charitable Trust. The project was established in the year 2011 at Banjara Hills, Road No. 12. It was a 12-bed hospital. In the last 10 years, it offered care, comfort, pain management and dignity to terminal patients. It has been offering in house patient care, home care and outpatient services. So far it has served around 4,000 patients free of cost from Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa and other neighbouring states.

Now it has expanded its capacity to 82 beds. Shifted from Banjara Hills to Khajaguda.  The 60,000 sft facility is constructed at 1.1 acres land leased out by Govt of Telangana

The facility is built at Rs 15crore, funded by donations from corporates and individuals will provide free care to terminally ill cancer patients

 The new palliative care is equipped with paediatric palliative care, physiotherapy room, Audio Visual Room, Library, Gym, Lounge, Nursing Dormitory, Doctors’ Residence and Exclusive Pharmacy and Mortuary. 

One of the highest individual donors to Sparsh Hospice Mr. Varaprasad Reddy said if there is any humanitarian service it is this and it is this, serving the people who are death bead. He asked KT Rama Rao to exempt Sparsh Hospice from Municipal, Water and Electricity charges. 

 Dr Mahesh Kotbag,  Director of Rotary Internationals while speaking said let the cancer infected people have last breathe to his satisfaction And palliative care is the best and need of the hour.

Speaking on the occasion Dr. M. Subrahmanayam long term Trustee said ‘to decrease human suffering is the first goal of a doctor. However, Cancer pain, which is one of the most extreme forms of suffering and another end of life agony, has not found a suitable management option that is universal. This burden is very real and is only increasing, with 14 lakh new cases of cancer in India every year. Of these, at least 60% need Palliative care services, but less than 2% of the population needing “end of life care” actually receive it”.

Suresh Reddy, another Long Term Trustee recalled how challenging was to raise funds. Recalling a real time incident about a maid who was working with them was given a piece of land.

After the job she went and settled in Miryalguda. When she came to know about this project and our struggle in raising money she not only supported Rs 75,000/- every month for 14 months and after her death, she wanted us to sell the piece of land his family gave and wanted the rupees one crore value of the land to be contributed to the project. This real time incident how such a lady from a small town made a huge difference and inspired us.

Jagdish Ramadugu, long term Trustee informed that they could reaise Rs 2crore from Rotary Club of Banjara Hills their own club recently towards this project. He said that we would not like to stop here and take more challenges. He gave future plans of Sparsh. They wanted to get into more related areas. Jagdish requested KT Rama Rao to bring Palliative care under the purview of AAROGYASHREE.

The Sparsh Hospice felicitated some of the big donors who include Suresh Chukkpalli of Phoneix Group who constructed basic structure of the building which cost Rs 6 crore was the donation from him. Varaprasad Reddy and Family donated well over Rs 1 crore. Suresh Reddy 75 lakh and others.

 K.T. Rama Rao, the then Minister for Information Technology, Municipal Administration and Industries, Govt. of Telangana laid the foundation stone in June 2017 at Khajaguda on Nanakramguda Road in Sherlingampally Mandal.

Palliative care at Sparsh involves physical, emotional and spiritual care, with a team of trained doctors, nursing staff, physiotherapists, counsellors and spiritual guides. It also offers home care services. All these services are offered free. It served more than 4000 patients.

It is a Grand plus three-floored facility. It has 10 independent rooms. The building structure was completed with the help of Phoenix Group and other corporate and individual donors such as Rainbow Hospitals, Reganti Orphans Educational Trust, Hetero Foundation, Virtusa Consulting Services Pvt Ltd, State Bank of India Local Head Office, Hyderabad; Pride Motors, Deccan Development Fund (Hyderabad and California), Value Labs, and many others.

This new facility can serve 82 patients, 150 home care patients and another 50 outpatients.

The trustees made multiple visits to the secretariat, collectors offices and ministers offices. Most of us never had to visit the secretariat in our lives before, but must have made over 50 visits in the last 6 years! But I must say we have been very fortunate to receive the goodwill of the Telangana Govt, especially Shri KTR garu in helping us get this land. He has been a supporter of Sparsh since 2016 and has also visited our facility and importantly has also become a donor, shared Suresh Reddy, Trustee.

The new facility will not only be offering palliative care to terminal cancer patients but also to other life-limiting illnesses. In addition to cancer wards, it will also have dementia and Parkinson’s ward, Geriatric ward, Paediatric ward. 20% of beds will be reserved for these illnesses.

Along with patient care supporting the state of the art medical equipment, it also has a daycare ward, massage room, amphitheatre, conference room, family counselling rooms, kitchen, dining, well-landscaped garden and a water body.

According to Ram Mohan RaoYarrapothu, CEO of Sparsh Hospice, the construction of the 82-bedded Hospice centre will be serving the urgent need of palliative care and will help patients with advanced stage of cancer, dementia, Parkinson’s to embrace death without regrets.

Once a disease is termed as ‘terminal’ it means that the life of that patient will end soon and no curative treatment is possible. Hence in this stage, it is deemed fit to concentrate on improving the quality of life and lessen the suffering rather than trying to prolong life. This is the concept of ‘Palliative Care’.

According to World Health Organisation, palliative care is an approach that improves the quality of life of patients (adults and children) and their families who are facing problems associated with a life-threatening illness. It prevents and relieves suffering through the early identification, correct assessment and treatment of pain and other problems, whether physical, psychosocial or spiritual.

All the facilities offered are free of cost.

It plans to offer training to nurses in palliative care in near future. It will be a 3 to 6 months of training. It also plans to focus on skill development on bedside assistance, palliative care, nursing care etc.

Sparsh is a registered Trust and has obtained several accreditations. The trust has 80G tax-exempt status. It also has 35 AC (100% Tax Exemption) for the new building project. It also has FCRA approval to receive foreign funds.

Organisations and individuals desirous of helping us in this endeavour to serve end-stage cancer patients, you please send your contributions to Rotary Club of Banjara Hills Charitable Trust has been awarded ‘Platinum Certification” by Guidestar (an NGO rating agency). The trust has also been accredited by Charities Aid Foundation (CAF). Cheques/DDs for donation are to be made in favour of “Rotary Club of Banjara Hills Charitable Trust”

CEO of Sparsh Hospice proposed a vote of thanks.

Corporate Comm India (CCI Newswire)