Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Friday announced that the state has developed a model palliative care system under which volunteers can register to support patients who are bedridden or suffering from terminal illnesses.

In a Facebook post, the CM said that the registration process for volunteers under the Kerala Care Universal Palliative Service Scheme has begun. "Anyone willing to spare at least one hour a week for a patient in need of palliative care can register through the designated volunteer website," he said.

Vijayan noted that Kerala’s efforts to ensure palliative care for bedridden patients have drawn global recognition, and the Kerala Care initiative is an expansion of these interventions. Unlike earlier programs focused only on bedridden patients, Kerala Care aims to extend support to all those suffering from terminal illnesses, he added.

He also said that registration is underway for patients in need of care, as well as for organisations and nurses willing to assist them. So far, 1,34,939 people have registered as inpatients requiring palliative care under the campaign. “With the launch of the next phase — volunteer registration — we are ushering in a major change in the field of palliative care,” the CM said.