Palliative Care is the need of the hour stresses Padmashri Dr Armida Fernandez

Goa Khabar: Dr Armida Fernandez, Padma Shri and former dean of the Sion hospital in Mumbai, stressed the need for more palliative care centres in Goa and urged the government to ensure that multiple centres were set up across the state.

Dr Fernandez, who is also the founder of Asia’s first human milk bank was in conversation with renowned author Jerry Pinto, whose latest book, “A Good Life- the power of palliative care” was discussed by the duo at the 14^th Goa arts and literature festival being held at the International Centre Goa (ICG) on Friday.

Dr Fernandez, who is the founder of the Mumbai based medical NGO Sneha, said that she decided to immerse herself in the pursuit of palliative care after she lost her only daughter to cancer. “Both my husband and I are doctors, yet we could do nothing to reduce our daughter’s pain and suffering. I realized only later, that it was palliative care alone which could lessen the pain and suffering of terminally ill patients,” Dr Fernandez said. Dr Fernandez singled out the state of Kerala for praise, stating that palliative care and support groups for terminally ill patients was well established across this state. “We need to emulate the example of Kerala in states like Goa and across India,” Dr Fernandez said.

Author Jerry Pinto who has profiled the work of ten doctors working in the field of palliative care in his latest book highlighted the good work being done by Dr Ira Almeida in Margao, South Goa. “Dr Ira works closely with the South Goa district hospital and has access to an ambulance and a support staff of two trained medical professionals, helping her reach terminally ill  patients across South Goa,” Pinto said.