Representative image NEW DELHI: India has just four palliative-care centres for every 10 million people, leaving millions battling cancer, chronic illnesses and terminal conditions without timely pain relief or support, according to a new study published in cancer journal ecancermedicalscience. It also showed that people often travel nearly two hours to reach the nearest palliative-care centre, and only 23.7% of the population can access such services within 30 minutes.The study – conducted by the Association for Socially Applicable Research in collaboration with NGO Pallium India – stated that compact territories like Delhi, Chandigarh and Goa fare better due to stronger infrastructure and shorter travel distances. But most large states remain severely underserved, far from the WHO’s definition of qualitative palliative care.Lead author of the study, Dr Parth Sharma, said India can achieve near-universal palliative-care access without building new infrastructure. “If effectively leveraged, the existing public health system can deliver palliative care. Training more healthcare providers would be enough to meet population needs,” said Sharma.”The study highlights a critical gap in India’s healthcare system,” said Dr Suranjit Chatterjee, senior consultant, internal medicine, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals. He said palliative care “is not an elective addition but the heart of humane, person-centred care”, and called for integrating services into primary health centres, scaling home-based models, expanding specialist training and ensuring district-level access to essential pain medicines.Dr Dinesh Singh, director of radiation oncology, Action Cancer Hospital, Delhi, said the findings expose “an urgent and deeply concerning gap”, with patients’ pain, dignity and quality of life compromised when palliative care is out of reach. He urged expansion of centres, integration of palliative services in all hospitals and strengthening of home-care models.Kerala is the standout model. With only 2.5% of India’s population, it hosts 44.5% of all palliative-care centres, giving 94.6% of its people access within 30 minutes. In contrast, Uttar Pradesh has just 12 centres for 17% of India’s population, with a median travel time of 111 minutes. In the North-east, mountainous terrain means long travel times even where centres exist. Rural-urban gaps are equally stark, with rural travel times ranging from nine minutes to 591 minutes, underscoring deep inequity. As India’s burden of cancer and chronic illness rises, the study warned that geography still decides whether a patient receives comfort – or suffers without care.About the AuthorAnuja JaiswalAnuja Jaiswal is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Times of India, with an impressive 18-year career in narrative journalism. She specializes in health and heritage reporting, expertly simplifying complex health information to make it engaging and understandable for readers. Her deep dives into heritage topics are well-researched, resulting in captivating narratives that resonate with her audience. Over the years, she has worked in Chandigarh, Chhattisgarh and West UP, gaining diverse on-ground experience that shapes her storytelling.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosTrump Says He Brokered Eight Peace Deals Including India And Pakistan During Mamdani MeetUP Gears Up For Biggest Crackdown Yet As CM Yogi Mandates Detention Hubs For Illegal ImmigrantsModi, Meloni Share Warm Laughter on G20 Sidelines in Johannesburg‘In memory of our brothers’: Russian Pilot’s Heartfelt Note For Indian Tejas Pilot After Dubai Crash’Objective Is To Destroy The Enemy’: Op Sindoor Echoes As Indian Army Vows Stronger Response to PakIndian Army Chief Reveals How A Trusted Orchestra Crushed Nine Targets in Operation Sindoor BlitzManipur Sangai Festival 2025- ThemeAt G20 Summit, PM Modi Proposes Global Knowledge, Skills, Health And Security Initiatives For FutureSangai Festival 2025 Opening CeremonyEx-VP Jagdeep Dhankhar Breaks Silence, Calls Out Narrative Traps With Cryptic Reference To His Past123PhotostoriesFrom Bengal to B-town, actors who found fame in Hindi filmsLaughter Chefs 3: From new jodis of Vivian Dsena-Eisha Singh, Gurmeet-Debina to Tejasswi Prakash-Karan Kundrra teaming up together: Highlights from the new season3 Ayurveda-approved fruit rules to boost digestionFrom Harman Sidhu to Danish Zehen: Indian celebrities who died in tragic road accidents7 high-protein breakfast shakes with 20g per glassMillion-dollar executives: Meet top 5 highest-paid CXOs in India FY259 behaviours that slowly destroy relationships over timeTop 4 home remedies to reduce bloating and boost digestion naturallyKartik Aaryan to Sara Tendulkar: 5 best celebrity looks of the daySilent signs of bullying every parent should pay attention to123Hot PicksDelhi AQI TodayBihar Minister List 2025Bihar CM Oath CeremonyGold rate todaySilver rate todayPublic Holidays NovemberBank Holidays NovemberTop TrendingFantasy Football Injury ReportSavannah JamesBrittany MahomesTaylor SwiftTravis KelceChris Blake GriffithJosh Allen InjuryCharvarius WardFortnite Chapter 7 LeakedCade Cunningham
NEW DELHI: India has just four palliative-care centres for every 10 million people, leaving millions battling cancer, chronic illnesses and terminal conditions without timely pain relief or support, according to a new study published in cancer journal ecancermedicalscience. It also showed that people often travel nearly two hours to reach the nearest palliative-care centre, and only 23.7% of the population can access such services within 30 minutes.The study – conducted by the Association for Socially Applicable Research in collaboration with NGO Pallium India – stated that compact territories like Delhi, Chandigarh and Goa fare better due to stronger infrastructure and shorter travel distances. But most large states remain severely underserved, far from the WHO’s definition of qualitative palliative care.Lead author of the study, Dr Parth Sharma, said India can achieve near-universal palliative-care access without building new infrastructure. “If effectively leveraged, the existing public health system can deliver palliative care. Training more healthcare providers would be enough to meet population needs,” said Sharma.“The study highlights a critical gap in India’s healthcare system,” said Dr Suranjit Chatterjee, senior consultant, internal medicine, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals. He said palliative care “is not an elective addition but the heart of humane, person-centred care”, and called for integrating services into primary health centres, scaling home-based models, expanding specialist training and ensuring district-level access to essential pain medicines.Dr Dinesh Singh, director of radiation oncology, Action Cancer Hospital, Delhi, said the findings expose “an urgent and deeply concerning gap”, with patients’ pain, dignity and quality of life compromised when palliative care is out of reach. He urged expansion of centres, integration of palliative services in all hospitals and strengthening of home-care models.Kerala is the standout model. With only 2.5% of India’s population, it hosts 44.5% of all palliative-care centres, giving 94.6% of its people access within 30 minutes. In contrast, Uttar Pradesh has just 12 centres for 17% of India’s population, with a median travel time of 111 minutes. In the North-east, mountainous terrain means long travel times even where centres exist. Rural-urban gaps are equally stark, with rural travel times ranging from nine minutes to 591 minutes, underscoring deep inequity. As India’s burden of cancer and chronic illness rises, the study warned that geography still decides whether a patient receives comfort – or suffers without care.
