Santhwana Mitra: Kudumbashree To Trains 50000 Women for Palliative Care

Thiruvananthapuram: Kudumbashree has launched the Santhwana Mitra initiative as part of the Vijnana Kerala, Kudumbashree Employment Campaign, aiming to make a meaningful impact in the field of palliative care. The project seeks to create a network of socially trained care providers across Kerala, offering skilled support to families in need while opening new employment opportunities for women within the community.

Through the combined efforts of the State Health Department, Local Self- Government Department, and Kerala Knowledge Economy Mission's Vijnana Kerala, the initiative intends to bring systematic, home- based care to every household requiring palliative support. The plan sets an ambitious target of training 50,000 women, beginning with an initial phase of 10,000 participants.

Kudumbashree will utilise its three-tiered organisational structure,CDS, ADS, and Neighbourhood Groups, to identify households in need and connect them with trained care providers at affordable rates. Those delivering these services will be known as Santhwana Mitra. The Health Department will provide technical guidance and oversee the training. As part of the programme, ADS units will visit households in each ward, documenting bedridden patients and evaluating their care requirements.

Family data will be registered at CDS -level employment centres under the Vijnana Kerala scheme. Neighbourhood group members interested in working within palliative care will receive structured training before being assigned to families in need. Kudumbashree and K-DISC will collaborate to upgrade trained care providers into certified care takers within a year through specialised courses. Considering that Kerala has nearly 196,000 bedridden patients, this initiative carries considerable significance.

The new project builds upon the existing K4 Care programme, which already delivers a variety of home-based care services under one roof. Around 895 K4 Care executives, trained at reputed institutions such as NIPMER, HFLPPT, and Aspirant Learning Academy, are currently active in the field. Unlike K4 Care, which involves a two -month training schedule, Santhwana Mitra will equip participants through a seven -day course, enabling rapid deployment of care providers.

By introducing this scheme alongside existing efforts, Kudumbashree aims not only to ensure quality palliative care across the state but also to provide women with meaningful, sustainable employment. It is a model that balances practical service delivery with social empowerment, recognising the everyday labour and resilience of women while responding to the pressing needs of households across Kerala.