Mumbai, May 17: Last evening, the Sukoon Nilaya Palliative Care Centre (SNPCC) inaugurated a standalone Paediatric Palliative Care Centre with the support of Tata Trusts. This free facility is for children living with chronic and life-limiting illnesses, marking what the organisation described as Maharashtra’s first structured effort focused on non-cancer paediatric palliative care.
Free treatment and caregiver support
“The new unit will provide free treatment, rehabilitation, and caregiver support for children between the ages of one and 18 years. Patients will be admitted along with a caregiver and treated under the supervision of paediatricians and palliative care specialists,” shared Dr Eric Borges, Chairperson, SNPCC and King George V Memorial Trust.
The launch comes nearly four years after SNPCC, a subsidiary of the King George V Memorial Trust, opened in 2021 as a palliative care centre for non-cancer adult patients, which is a relatively underserved area in healthcare.
What began as a small initiative has since expanded into a 35-bed facility offering multidisciplinary care.
Former Mumbai Police Commissioner Satish Sahney, who is also on the advisory board of the Nehru Science Centre, inaugurated the centre.
“Over the years, the King George V Memorial Trust has evolved significantly — from functioning as an infirmary in 2011 to becoming a dedicated palliative care centre, first for adults and now for children. The launch of this paediatric palliative care initiative marks an important and much-needed step forward, especially at a time when access to palliative care remains limited across the country,” he said.
Centre to treat children with chronic illnesses
The paediatric programme will cater to children suffering from neurological disorders such as cerebral palsy and meningitis, respiratory illnesses, kidney disease, developmental conditions, cardiac ailments, and arthritis, among others.
Alongside medical treatment, the children will also receive physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech and swallow therapy, counselling, and art therapy.
Siddharth Sharma, CEO, Tata Trusts, who could not attend the inaugural event, shared a message in absentia.
“I was impressed by the desire to start a pioneering and much-needed free-of-cost paediatric palliative care programme, with special emphasis on those suffering from non-cancer ailments. The desire to educate and train medical and paramedical personnel in the art and craft of non-cancer palliative care was a critical component of the initiative that was being envisaged.”
“This tied in well with the spirit and ethos of the Tata Trusts: piloting initiatives in different areas of activity that address unmet needs of those of our countrymen who are economically and socially disadvantaged,” he said.
Focus on caregiver training
Dr Mohammad Ishak Tayoob, Senior Paediatric Palliative Care Consultant at the newly opened centre, said, “This is a pilot phase with five beds and there are plans for further expansion in the future. What truly sets this centre apart is our focus on training caregivers. We believe care should continue beyond the hospital stay, and equipping families with the skills and confidence to look after their loved ones at home is a crucial part of the process.”
Caregivers usually experience emotional and physical burnout while caring for chronically ill children at home. The centre plans to offer counselling, yoga, group therapy, and caregiver training sessions aimed at helping families continue care after discharge.
Most children are expected to stay at the facility for around two to three weeks, after which follow-up consultations will continue through OPD visits and virtual check-ins.
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Plans for training and expansion
The organisation also announced plans to start university-recognised training programmes in palliative care for healthcare workers, including nurses, therapists, and counsellors, from a proposed training facility expected to come up on campus in the near future.
“The long-term goal is to develop SNPCC as a centre of excellence in palliative care and eventually seek accreditation from the World Health Organization as a training centre,” concluded Dr Borges.
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