KOZHIKODE: The Pain and Palliative Clinic of Farook College, Kozhikode, was one of the main features that was specially mentioned by the NAAC team, during their visit to the college. And this helped it get A+ accreditation this month. Started in 2005, the idea of palliative care was developed as a result of a visit by a group of students to patients. Dr Abdul Mujeeb, currently Chemistry professor at Calicut University, was the man behind the project.
Dr Abdul Gafoor, palliative care unit convenor says that “These kind of social outreach programmes gives the students an opportunity to think and act beyond what they learn from their syllabus and gives them work experience. We care for and support patients who are suffering from serious illnesses. We also support them emotionally. ” On an average, around 306 patients, including 100 suffering from cancer, covering over four panchayats get care. Services like home care visit, doctor care, nursing care, financial support, social support, ambulance and jeep facility are provided.
The clinic works in the college’s own health centre where facilities like OP, pharmacy unit, equipment like wheelchair, air bed, water bed are provided free to patients. The unit spends Rs 1 lakh per annum on an average and the funds are raised from teachers, students and community volunteers. Every Monday, an OP with field visit is scheduled, there is nursing home care four days a week and a compulsory field visit for students. The students take care of the patients by providing food, clean clothes and taking care of their day to day activities. The college also organizes programmes and tours for the patients.
