SATSEVA - A Patient Outreach Program

Introduction
According to the National Cancer Control Programme of the Government of India, cancer has become a major public health problem due to the increase in life expectancy and changing lifestyles. There are about 20 lakh cases of cancer in the country at any given point of time and approximately 7 lakh new cancer cases come up every year.

Many forms of cancer are silent and symptom-less until they reach an advanced stage. Unfortunately, there are cancers that are difficult to detect at an early stage and some are unresponsive to treatment.

When all modalities of anti-cancer treatment are exhausted, there is still a residual life during which a patient with advanced cancer has to live with excruciating and the tyranny of suffering. The traditional hospitals are not geared to take on this responsibility to alleviate pain and human suffering in such cases, leave aside providing emotional and psychological support.

As a result, over a million cancer patients die every year without treatment in India and almost an equal number of cancer patients who can afford to pay, also die without adequate palliative care. Of all the cancer patients who require palliative care, not more than 3% receive it.

According to the WHO report, 70% of the cancer patients suffer unnecessary pain, which can be avoided. Palliative care assumes significance, more so for advanced stage cancer patients.
A good palliative care system can administer high quality care at low cost. However, palliative care in cancer is a neglected sector in spite of the fact that the Government of India recognizes it in the National Cancer Control Policy, 1991.

SATSEVA
(A patient Out-Reach program based on concept of "Home Care Programs")
There is a crying need to provide pain management and supportive care (emotional and psychological support in addition to special nursing care needs) to the advanced stage cancer patients and their families. SATSEVA was conceived as a new concept to out reach the patients at home by trained doctors and social workers.

The patient out reach program SATSEVA is a service based on the concept of Home Care programs and is the first of its kind in India in providing free palliative care to the needy cancer patients right at the patients’ door step.

SATSEVA came into existence on 1st December 1994 to comfort cancer patients and follow up treatment failures. During the past nine years, SATSEVA has registered over 1000 advanced stage cancer cases of which 920 have passed away peacefully and a large number of patients and feedback reports have been received from their families. These amazing results were achieved with very limited resources at our disposal.

This human endeavor is to improve the quality of life before the transmigration of the soul takes place in its own natural turn.

Need for Professional Palliative Care
Traditional hospitals focus their attention on the disease with the ultimate goal of cure, while the terminally ill cancer patients need "patient focused attention", with the ultimate goal of pain relief and patient's comfort. That is where SATSEVA provides a professional support to the needy patients suffering from advanced and terminal cancer.

Importance of Home Care from Patient's Point of View
Given adequate support, most patients prefer to die at home rather than in an alien hospital environment. It is true whether in the USA or Europe or Asia. Even the West is now turning to Home Care programs for terminal care. We encourage the willing families to take care of their patients at home. In addition to pain management and symptom control, guidance and supportive care are provided to help the families of the patients. It is our endeavour to explain to the families and prepare them psychologically to cope with the changing conditions of the patient's health. Continued advice and professional support are provided to help the patient stay at home among the near and dear ones during the last moments of life. Home Care Programs of SATSEVA proved to be the most cost effective in cancer terminal care in the context of socio-economic conditions prevailing in India.

SATSEVA provides Analgesic-Drug Therapy (as approved by the WHO) for pain management. Doctors from SATSEVA visit the patients at home and administer pain relief drugs and analgesics and other medicines. Medical Social Workers reach out to the patients once in a week to provide emotional and psychological support to the patient and the family constellation. The service is completely free to all the needy patients.

This human endeavor improves the quality of life in case of the dying cancer patients and reassures the hope that the 'Human Spirit' is not lost or faded away in Pune City. As per an eminent oncologist, the human endeavour exemplifies a glimpse of the humane face to the practice of medicine.

Beneficiaries
A large number of needy cancer patients, especially from lower-middle class and poorer sections of the society form a major group of the beneficiaries. For details, please refer to Results of Support Provided.

Patient Feedback
The strength of the organization lies mainly on the patient feedback or feedback from the families of the patients or from the patients themselves. For details, please refer to Patients’ Feedback page.

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