Palliative care is a fundamental part of healthcare - and a human right. It is about relieving suffering and pain at any point in a patient’s diagnosis from a life-limiting illness. When a patient and family receive palliative care services, the aim is to improve their quality of life, regardless of their age or stage of the disease.
‘Leaving nobody behind’
2007: Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) introduced ‘Palliative Care’ in the form of a basic service. It started as an Out Patient consultation service soon followed by a limited 2 bed admission facility in 2009.
2011: Significant breakthrough took place with transformation into a “Centre for Palliative Care (CPC)” inaugurated by the then Honorable president of the country Late Zillur Rahman. It formally began its journey accepting a pioneer role in-
2014: A financial grant by the University Grant Commission (UGC) under its Higher Education Quality Enhancement Project (HEQEP) was awarded for development of the Centre. Besides organizing a number of different training programs on Palliative Care, Development of Curriculum for MD in Palliative Medicine, a five year residency program started taking shape with HEQEP financial assistance and active support and cooperation from both external and internal faculties.
2015: University Syndicate in its 57th meeting approved the Curriculum for MD (residency) in Palliative Medicine.
2016: Palliative Medicine became a medical specialty in Bangladesh after being approved by the University Grant Commission.
Same year, Palliative Medicine was acknowledged as a separate wing attached to the Department of Internal Medicine.
2017: “Palliative Medicine” revealed as a distinct academic department separated from Internal medicine.
Department of Palliative Medicine depend on a well working interdisciplinary cooperation between different medical disciplines
