LSGD funds shortage may hit palliative care delivery at local level
Kerala's local self-government institutions are facing a severe shortage of Plan funds, threatening the delivery of essential palliative care services. This financial crisis has left nurses unpaid and prevented the purchase of critical medical supplies for bedridden patients.
Why it matters
The funding gap directly impacts the health and survival of vulnerable, chronically ill populations in rural Kerala.
The Health department is worried that primary care palliative care activities at the grassroots level could get disrupted, putting hundreds of bedridden or chronically ill patients in rural areas in peril, as most local self-government institutions (LSGIs) have been seriously short of Plan funds since December 2025.
Palliative care nurses posted for community palliative care in many grama panchayats, especially in northern districts, have not received their salaries for months. Many LSGIs are also unable to pay the salary of ambulance drivers, meet fuel expenses, buy the necessary consumables — diapers, catheters, surgical gloves or medicines, according to reports. The issue was raised by many medical officers at the recent DMOs’ conference.
Kerala’s community palliative care is primarily governed by the State Palliative Care Policy (first declared in 2008 and revised in 2019) along with subsequent Government Orders and circulars directing the LSGIs to implement home-based care.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in