Cipla Foundation, CanSupport launch Palliative Home Care Service in Pune

In partnership with CanSupport, a WHO-recognised NGO, Cipla Foundation has launched comprehensive free-of-charge palliative home care services in Pune. With nine dedicated home care teams, the initiative aims to provide supportive care to more than 900 cancer patients. This initiative will cover five talukas in Pune District—Pune City, Haweli, Khed, Bhor, and Purandar.

CanSupport is a humanitarian organisation that has been providing home-based palliative care to cancer patients free of charge for more than 28 years. The services will primarily support patients with advanced cancer, complex symptoms, and/or mobility issues, and patients discharged from the Cipla Palliative Care and Training Centre in Pune (CPC) seeking continued care at home. While most patients are oncology cases, approximately 10 per cent have non-oncological conditions like respiratory or neurological illnesses. 

Built on CanSupport’s interdisciplinary model, the services provide medical, emotional, and psychosocial care at no cost. The services offer complete care, including pain management, wound care, physiotherapy, counselling, and assistive equipment such as wheelchairs, water beds, and walkers. The home care teams support families in making informed decisions, offer caregiving strategies, and provide the necessary resources to navigate this challenging journey with dignity. In addition, the outpatient Pain and Palliative Care Clinic extends ongoing support to families, ensuring holistic care beyond home visits.

Commenting on the launch of this milestone initiative, Anurag Mishra, Head, Cipla Foundation, said, “By bringing palliative care directly to patients’ homes, we aim to reduce suffering, preserve dignity, and support families through their difficult times.”

Dr Ambika Rajvanshi, CEO, CanSupport, said, “Our model centres on both the medical and emotional needs of patients and families, offering a comprehensive approach that prioritises dignity and comfort.”

CanSupport’s WHO-recognised model employs a multidisciplinary approach with trained doctors, nurses, counsellors, and social workers. The Pune program aims to serve as a replicable model for other cities.