Longleng observes World Hospice and Palliative Care Day

Dimapur, Oct. 9 (EMN): Longleng district observed World Hospice and Palliative Care Day at Phom Baptist Christian Association (PBCA) convention hall on October 8 in the presence of Rontu Sangma, coordinator of North East Pallium India.

The event marked first of its kind in the district through the personal initiative of Dr. Obangjungla, chief medical officer (CMO) of Longleng, in partnership with Pallium India and PBCA, an update stated.

Civil society leaders of the district, functioning unions of the district, 11 ward officials, students from different academic institutions and well-wishers operating in different humanitarian works attended the event.

The programme was led by Anghben Phom, PBCA women secretary, while a testimony on caring for terminally sick members at home was shared by Langnyak Phom of Leinak ward.

Delivering the keynote address, CMO of Longleng expressed her desire to create palliative home care service in the district. She mentioned that World Hospice and Palliative Care Day is observed every year on the second Saturday of October on different themes.

On this year’s theme ‘Healing hearts and communities,’ the CMO stressed on compassion, comfort and care to the terminally sick members of the family through palliative care approach with the community coming together.

Dr. Obangjungla also said that home-based palliative care would soon be initiated in Longleng district.

While acknowledging the concept of palliative care, PBCA executive secretary, N Tialemba Phom, said the home care ministry should be taken with compassion and commitment by the attendees and also the church ministers.

Rontu Sangma, in his speech, emphasised on the home-based palliative care setting in the district.

On October 7, CMO’s office, Longleng, in collaboration with Pallium India (NE) and Phom Baptist Christian Association (PBCA) conducted a training on palliative care for volunteers at PBCA headquarters in Longleng town.

It informed that the training for volunteers was first of its kind in Nagaland in order to equip the community towards palliative care. It added that the training was imparted after training the doctors and nurses, church leaders of Longleng.

Resource persons of the training were Rontu Sangma, NE coordinator of Palliative India, and Dr. Obangjungla, CMO of Longleng.