Palliative Medicine

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’

Our Journey

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-

1. Developing a replicable  service model culturally appropriate for the country
2. Creating awareness both amongst the professionals & in the community at large.
3. Organizing  short and mid-term education and  training programs
4. Exploring possibilities of basic, innovative local need specific research.

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 57^th 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