**Executive Summary**
This document is a response to Unstarred Question No. 967 in Lok Sabha regarding the limited reach of palliative care services in India, to be answered on December 5th, 2025. It acknowledges the need for palliative care for 7 to 10 million people annually, and outlines the government's initiatives, including the National Programme for Palliative Care (NPPC), launched in 2012. It includes information about the number of patients who have availed of services in 2024-25 and the integration of palliative care with other national programs.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Palliative Care Need:**
* Approximately 7 to 10 million people in India require palliative care annually.
* **Palliative Care Services:**
* Palliative care services are delivered at district hospitals in 600 districts across all States/Union Territories under the National Programme for Palliative Care (NPPC).
* Home-based palliative care is delivered by trained Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) and Community volunteers.
* In 2024-25, the numbers of patients who have availed Out-Patient, In-Patient and Home-based Palliative Care services are 60,82,069, 25,17,663 and 5,50,056 respectively.
* **Training Initiatives:**
* The government has taken steps to train healthcare workers in palliative care through the NPPC, launched in 2012.
* A cascade model of training is used, with specific modules for Medical Officers, Staff Nurses, Community Health Officers (CHOs), Auxiliary Nurse Midwifes (ANMs), and ASHA Workers.
* **Integration and Access:**
* Palliative care is one of the 12 essential services delivered at the Ayushman Arogya Mandir (AAM) level.
* Teleconsultation services are leveraged at AAM to provide access to specialists.
* Palliative care is integrated with other national programs like the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NP-NCD), HIV/AIDS, and care for the elderly.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder: Patients in Need of Palliative Care**
* **Impact:** They are directly impacted by the availability and accessibility of palliative care services. The government aims to expand service delivery through NPPC and integration with other programs.
* **Action Required:** Patients in need of palliative care should seek out services at district hospitals and through ASHA and community volunteers.
**Stakeholder: Healthcare Workers (Medical Officers, Staff Nurses, CHOs, ANMs, ASHA Workers)**
* **Impact:** These workers are critical to the delivery of palliative care services. The government is actively training them through the NPPC to improve the quality and reach of services.
* **Action Required:** Healthcare workers should participate in available training programs and deliver palliative care services effectively.
**Stakeholder: Government (Ministry of Health and Family Welfare)**
* **Impact:** Responsible for implementing and overseeing palliative care initiatives.
* **Action Required:** Continue implementing NPPC, integrate palliative care with other programs, leverage teleconsultation services, and monitor the effectiveness of these efforts.
Key Entities Referenced
National Programme for Palliative Care (NPPC): A key program by the Government of India to provide palliative care services, launched in 2012.
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare: The primary government body responsible for health policy and programs, including palliative care.
Ayushman Arogya Mandir (AAM): A service delivery platform where palliative care is one of the essential services.
Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA): Community health workers who deliver home-based palliative care.
India: The country in which the policy and programs apply.
GOVERNMENTOFINDIA
MINISTRYOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE
DEPARTMENTOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARREDQUESTION NO. 967
TOBE ANSWERED ON5TH DECEMBER, 2025
LIMITED REACH OFPALLIATIVE CARESERVICES
967. SHRIASADUDDIN OWAISI:
Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE be pleasedtostate:
(a) whether the Government is aware that approximately 10million patients in India need palliative
care annually, as flagged by the WHO, yet only about 4% have received such services, if so, the
reasons therefor;
(b) whether the Government has identified reasons for the limited reach of palliative services inthe
country, despite the existence of variousnational programme andpolicies, if so, the detailsthereof;
(c)whether the Government istaking steps totrainhealthcareworkers, includingASHA, ANM
andparamedicalgraduates, tofulfill thisreach,if so, the detailsthereof; and
(d) the measures taken by the Government to integrate palliative care in primary and community
healthcarecenters across the country?
ANSWER
THEMINISTEROFSTATEINTHEMINISTRYOFHEALTHAND
FAMILYWELFARE
(SHRIPRATAPRAO JADHAV)
(a) & (b): As per recent studies, in India an estimated 7 to 10 million people require palliative care
annually. Under National Programme for Palliative Care (NPPC), the Out Patient, In-Patient
palliative care services are being delivered at district hospitals in 600 districts across
allStates/Union Territories. Home based palliative care services are also being deliveredby trained
Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) and Community volunteers. In the year 2024-25 the
number of patients who have availed Out-Patient, In-Patient and Home-based Palliative Care
services are 60,82,069,25,17,663and5,50,056respectively.
(c)& (d) : The Government has takensignificant steps totrain healthcareworkers inpalliativecare,
primarily through NPPC, which was launched in 2012. The government has developed a cascade
model of training with specific modules for various healthcare providers, including Medical
Officers, Staff Nurses, Community Health Officers(CHOs), Auxiliary Nurse Midwifes (ANMs),
andASHAWorkers.
Palliative care is one of the 12 essential services delivered at the Ayushman Arogya Mandir(AAM)
level. The government is also leveraging teleconsultation services at AAM to provide access to
specialists andimplementing community-basedinitiatives tosupport care. Moreover, Palliativecare
is integrated with other national programs like National Programme for Prevention and Control of
Non-Communicable Diseases (NP- NCD) , Human Immunodeficiency Virus / Acquired
ImmunodeficiencySyndrome (HIV/AIDS), andfor the elderlytocreatea more unified approach.
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