Institute of Palliative Medicine (IPM)

Institute of Palliative Medicine (IPM) is the pioneer of palliative care movement in South East Asia. As the first World Health Organisation Collaborating Centre for Community Participation in Palliative Care and Long Term Care (WHOCC) in developing ive Care and Long Term Care (WHOCC) in developing countries, we are trying to establish community based palliative care in different parts of India and abroad. IPM is instrumental in developing the “Kerala Model” of palliative care which is popular among the palliative care fraternity worldwide. IPM is the training, research and outreach arm of Pain and Palliative Care Society (PPCS). It is located in the Medical College campus, Kozhikode, Kerala, India. IPM tries to improve the quality of life of non-curable and long-term bedridden patients by decreasing the symptoms and addressing their other associated problems. It is also actively involved in spreading the message of holistic end of life care and creating compassionate communities. IPM is the leading training centre for training in Palliative Care in Asia and has been running regular training and education programmes for more than two decades for healthcare professionals and volunteers. The courses are regularly attended by professionals from within the country and abroad. Palliative care is an approach that improves the quality of life of patients and their families facing the problem associated with life-threatening illness, through the prevention and relief of suffering by means of early identification and impeccable assessment and treatment of pain. Community based palliative care services runs with participation of the local community in need assessment, planning, implementation, resource mobilisation, delivering of services, management and evaluation. IPM facilitates setting up of palliative centres in different parts of the world. At IPM, more than 20,000 patient contacts are done every year through Out-Patient department, In-Patient department and Home care. Every year, 2,000 new patients register with us. The annual expenditure for our varied ventures comes around 20 million INR which includes patient care, home care, medicines, food for In-patients, monthly food kit for poor patients, rehabilitation of long term bedridden patients and educational support for their children, training programs for doctors, nurses, volunteers and students, research and development, running palliative care courses in different places and creating compassionate communities across the world.