Palliative Care : Expertise in Alleviating Suffering, Enriching Lives

From left – Mr Praveen Kakode, Dr Dattaram Desai, Dr Piyush Gupta, Dr Vallabh Dhaymodikar, Mr Sagar Jawadekar, Mr Pramod Acharya, and Mr Damodar Bhatkar

Nageshi (Ponda), Feb 7 (Narrative) – A symposium on ‘Palliative Care’ was held on the evening of February 7th at the Shri Nageshi Maharudra Devasthan. Many doctors, nurses, and other notable personalities from the state were present.

The program began with the lighting of the lamp by the following dignitaries :
– Mr Pramod Acharya, Editor & Director of ‘Prudent Media’
– Mr Sagar Jawadekar, Editor of daily ‘Tarun Bharat’
– Dr Vallabh Dhaymodikar, Founder of ‘Dr. Vallabh Dhaymodikar Foundation’
– Dr Dattaram Desai, Goa State President of ‘Indian Medical Association’
– Mr Damodar Bhatkar, President of ‘Shri Nageshi Maharudra Sansthan’
– Mr Praveen Kakode, President of ‘Global Chamber of Saraswat Entrepreneurs’
– Dr Piyush Gupta, National Secretary of ‘National Association of Palliative Care and Integrative Medicine’ (NAPCEM)

During the symposium, various doctors emphasized the importance of providing mental health and spiritual guidance to patients in terminal conditions.

Key highlights of the event :

1. The symposium was organized by Shri Nageshi Maharudra Sansthan, Dr Vallabh Dhaymodikar Foundation, Saraswat Chamber, Indian Medical Association, and NAPCEM.

2. In the inaugural session, speakers highlighted the critical need for palliative care. They stressed that in today’s world, family structures are becoming increasingly limited, making it essential to provide care, love, time, and spiritual direction to patients.

3. Sagar Jawadekar, Editor of ‘Tarun Bharat’, noted that doctors are like guardian angels and must have ‘heart’ in their approach, enabling them to perform the challenging task of palliative care.

4. Pramod Acharya, Editor of ‘Prudent Media’, suggested that initiatives like ‘Dilasa Palliative Care’ in Ponda should be implemented in every taluka of Goa.

5. Dr Dattaram Desai praised the IMA Ponda branch as the most active and initiative-driven branch in the state.

6. Dr Vallabh Dhaymodikar was honored with a National Award for his incomparable work in the medical field.

7. Other speakers included Dr Vallabh Dhaymodikar, Sugandhi Baliga (Founder-Director of ‘Happy to Age’), Dr Meenakshi Panikkar (Director of ‘Sahabhav’), and Dr Nidhi Agni.

8. Anchored by the articulate Dr Meena Parulekar, the program unfolded with grace and expertise, captivating the audience from start to finish. The event reached its heartfelt conclusion with a vote of thanks delivered by the gracious Dr Vandana Patankar. The Mayuresh Auditorium of Shri Nageshi Maharudra Devasthan provided an exquisite backdrop, its ambience enhancing the overall experience for all in attendance.

Editorial Perspective

For human life, there is no salvation except spirituality, even in the world of cutting-edge technology, even intellectuals like doctors have started realizing this. Keeping this in mind, the government should teach spiritual lessons along with practical education from school life and inculcate Sadhana in children. Only by this can the capacity to bear suffering be increased and a healthy society be built !