About Us

Pain Relief and Palliative Care Society is a registered charitable organization founded in the year 2007 by Doctors and Volunteers working in the MNJ Institute of Oncology & RCC, Hyderabad. The society provides a range of palliative care services which include out-patient, in-patient, hospice and home care services in Hyderabad. It has expanded and become one of the largest palliative care service providers in the region operating a 30 in-patient facility called Kumudini Devi Hospice in Kukatpally and 10 van home care service covering the city of Hyderabad and its environs. The society also has teams consisting of Doctors, Nurses, Counselors and Physiotherapists. in the pediatric wards of MNJ Cancer Hospital and Govt Niloufer Hospital providing palliative care to the in-patients and out-patients.
Apart from Hyderabad the society runs a 10-bed palliative care centre in the Govt General Hospital and Medical College, Kurnool and anther 10 bed centre called Sri Sathya Sai Palliative Care Centre in Puttaparthi, Andhra Pradesh.

All the services offered by PRPCS are entirely free of cost. Funds are generated by obtaining grants from CSR initiatives of corporates, philanthropists and individual donations from donors both big and small.

The society has a trained staff 81 members consisting of Doctors, Staff Nurses, Social workers, Physiotherapists and other supporting staff like helpers, cooks, drivers etc.

Activities

A 20-bed in-patient facility located in Kukatpally taking care of terminal stage cancer patients. Care is provided by a team of doctors, nurses, and other support staff. The hospice also provides free food for the patient and caregivers in addition to free treatment and medicines. A facility for transportation of dead bodies to their respective homes is also available. These are patients for whom no other treatment options are available in our present health care system, both in government and private sectors. Between 900-1000 patients are admitted annually and provided free medical care, nursing care, medicines, food (for patient and caregivers) by a team of 25 staff members.

Mandara Hospice is an expansion of the existing Pediatric Palliative services of PRPCS which became operational on 29th May 2021. The hospice is a cocoon for these exhausted families and the suffering child, protecting and empowering them on how best to deal with the disease and its progression. The child and family get discharged once the symptoms are stabilized and followed up via our dedicated home care program or phone call follow up. This program instills strength in the care givers to face the death of their loving child. The death doesn’t have to be painful or alone at home/ ICU. Rather, it can now be with well controlled symptoms with the family by the bedside. The team consists of pediatric palliative care consultant, staff nurses and social worker along with other support staff to deliver the standard of physical & psychosocial care. These children do make special requests for food, play and fun. Every year children’s hospice admits more than 200 children and are cared for.

Less than a year, this children’s hospice has admitted and care for 200 children. These children are referred from both the Govt MNJ Cancer Hospital Govt Niloufer Children’s hospital and other children’s hospital in the city.

This flagship program of our’s is one of the largest of its kind. Starting from 1 van in 2008, we now operate 10 vans (8 adult and 2 pediatrics) in and around Hyderabad City making 40 home visits daily by teams consisting of Doctors, Nurses, Counselors and a physiotherapist. Putting the concept of ‘total care’ with continuous support in physical, psychosocial, and spiritual realms into practice through institutionalized care is very difficult. Home care program provides comprehensive care, 24 hour / 7 days a week to patients and families suffering with advanced life limiting and terminal illnesses like Cancer, Kidney, Heart, Neurological, Liver diseases, Dementia, Muscular Dystrophy and Stroke. The program is designed to provide palliative care, pain and symptom management, emotional, spiritual and social support at homes and allowing patients the choice of receiving personalized care in their own home setting. About 1000 new patients are enrolled under this program each year. The visits are based on prioritization and condition of the patient.

This is a unique program in MNJ Government Cancer Hospital and Niloufer Government Children’s Hospital. A team consisting of pediatric palliative care consultants, staff nurses, and social workers provide palliative care in conjunction with curative treatment at both these hospitals. To ensure a continuum of care our team refers children to our dedicated pediatric home care vans and also to Mandara Hospice if required and offers 24 hours phone consultancy. We believe that no child should suffer in pain.

A 10-bed palliative care ward was started inside the Government General Hospital & Medical College, Kurnool on 18th May 2019. The unit consists of in-patient facility, out-patient services in Kurnool town. All the in-patients are treated on par with the other patients of the hospital. Between 20-25 end-stage cancer patients per month are admitted and cared for in this facility. About 250 to 300 new children are enrolled in this program each year.

This is a new initiative of PRPCS in collaboration with United Care Development Services. We have opened a 10 bed palliative care in-patient unit in Puttaparthi Andhra Pradesh in July 2022. This centre also offers out-patient and home care services in the radius of 50 kms for patients in and around Puttaparthi offering palliative and end of life care services. About 250 to 300 new children are enrolled in this program each year.