Cipla Foundation partners with B J Wadia Hospital to set up paediatric palliative care unit

Cipla Foundation, the corporate social responsibility arm of pharma major Cipla, on Friday said it has partnered with Mumbai-based B J Wadia Hospital for Children (BJWHC) in setting up a paediatric palliative care unit at the facility.

Over the next three years, close to 2,000 children are expected to receive this specialised line of care at the unit, Cipla Foundation said in a statement.

The foundation strongly believes that palliative care focuses on providing relief from symptoms and stress of an illness at any point, yet most patients are referred to it only towards the end.

An estimated 50 per cent of children with cancer, congenital conditions, acute severe illnesses and chronic disorders require palliative care, it added.

"We believe palliative care is responsive care, adapted for the unique need of every patient. When a child is diagnosed with a serious illness, both child and the family need a care plan that suits them so they can manage the illness with more ease," Cipla Foundation Managing Trustee Rumana Hamied said.

As part of this effort, Cipla Foundation has been offering technical and training support to staff members functioning in the unit through webinars with Cipla Palliative Care & Training Centre, the statement said.

"BJWHC has always been at the forefront of pediatric care in India and with this new unit we are able to provide comprehensive care plans for palliative and supportive care, this unit will definitely enhance the quality of care for children and their families," Wadia Hospitals CEO Minnie Bodhanwala said.