Meghalaya has been ranked second in India for outstanding performance under the National Programme for Palliative Care (NPPC).
The award was presented by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on the occasion of World Hospice and Palliative Care Day 2025, held at the Bagchi-Karunashraya Palliative Care Centre in Bhubaneswar, Odisha.

This recognition highlights Meghalaya’s success in building an inclusive, community-based palliative care model—placing the state among the best performers in compassionate end-of-life and long-term care services.

About the Achievement

• The award acknowledges Meghalaya’s innovative and humane approach to palliative care, prioritising home-based support and patient dignity.
  
• The State Health Department attributed the achievement to strong coordination between district health teams, doctors, nurses, and community health workers.
  
• The initiative aligns with Meghalaya’s broader People First Health Policy, which integrates palliative and geriatric care at the primary health centre (PHC) level.
  
• The state’s telemedicine network and outreach teams have made palliative care accessible even in remote and hilly regions.

About the National Programme for Palliative Care (NPPC)

• Launched: 2012 under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW).
  
• Objective: To improve the quality of life of patients with life-limiting illnesses through holistic medical, psychological, social, and spiritual care.
  
• Key Components:
  
  • Integration of palliative care into public health services.
    
  • Capacity building of healthcare providers.
    
  • Development of regional training and resource centres.
    
  • Public awareness and community participation.
    
• Focus Areas: Cancer, organ failure, geriatric illnesses, and terminal diseases.

Statement-Based MCQs

Q. The National Programme for Palliative Care (NPPC) was launched by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to:

1. Provide financial insurance to terminally ill patients
   2. Improve quality of life for patients with life-limiting illnesses
   3. Integrate palliative care into India’s primary healthcare system
   4. Establish centralised palliative care hospitals in all states

Options:
A. 1 and 2 only
B. 2 and 3 only
C. 1, 2 and 3 only
D. 2, 3 and 4 only

Answer: B

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