Background India with a total of 1.27 Billion (2014) population and over 73% of them are living in rural areas. Cancer remaining as the second cause of death in rural community and at any given time over 4 million cancer cases are living in our country and most of them are diagnosed at their advanced stages and suffering with intractable pain and ‘total sufferings’. At present, time available for palliative care services is less than 1% for the needy, it is mostly spread out around the urban areas leaving the remaining 73% of rural sufferers in lack of availability, accessibility, acceptability and affordability.

Aim To identify the need for palliative care, in a particular Block of the district, and provide home based total care.

Method Selection of ‘Andanallur’ village block with a population of nearly 100,000.

• Sensitisation of the health care staff, village members, self help groups and schools and through the Information, educative and communication methods.

• Conduction of a primary survey to identify the needy

• Examination and short listing cases for home based Palliative care

• Home based palliative care

Results The project was started in 2011 January and 156 cases short listed; 121 cases started with home care and 52 cases had passed away, 8 cases were given end of life care.

Conclusion

• Palliative care reaching the sufferers directly

• Reaching the unreachable and under-privileged

• Need based ‘total care’ at their door steps

• Empowering and training the family members.