Dying inside hospitals is the biggest business: TheLiverDoc backs home hospice care

A recent post by TheLiverDoc has reopened the conversation around aggressive treatment for critically ill patients and the option of care at home. Government data shows that millions of Indians need palliative care every year, while access to home-based care remains an important part of the challenge.Millions need palliative care in India: What the latest data showsWhen a person has a serious or life-limiting illness, there can come a point when treatment is no longer focused on curing the disease but on keeping the patient comfortable and reducing suffering. For families, this can be an extremely difficult stage, particularly when repeated hospital visits, intensive treatment and rising medical bills become part of everyday life.The issue recently came into focus after hepatologist Dr Cyriac Abby Philips, popularly known as TheLiverDoc, wrote on X that he had moved his approach to caring for critically ill patients towards a more home-based hospice care model. He said that when doctors are certain that a patient is unlikely to survive, families should be offered the option of allowing the patient to spend their final days at home, surrounded by family, instead of automatically escalating treatment. He also raised concerns about the financial burden that prolonged hospital care can place on families. Screen grab: x.com/theliverdoc His post has brought attention to a larger question: How accessible is palliative care in India, particularly care that can be provided at home?MILLIONS OF INDIANS NEED PALLIATIVE CAREAccording to a December 2025 Lok Sabha reply from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, an estimated 7 to 10 million people in India require palliative care every year. The government said palliative care services under the National Programme for Palliative Care (NPPC) are currently functional in about 600 districts across all States and Union Territories.HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY RECEIVING CARE?The latest complete annual figures provided by the government are for the financial year 2024 to 25. During that year, under NPPC: 60,82,069 patients availed outpatient palliative care services25,17,663 patients received inpatient palliative care5,50,056 patients received home-based palliative careThese services are delivered through trained ASHA workers and community volunteers, with healthcare teams supporting patients and their families at home.These numbers are only from the government’s palliative care programme. They do not include patients who may have received care through private hospitals, NGOs or other organisations, meaning the actual number of people receiving palliative care in India could be higher.The government has also released partial data for 2025 to 26. Till October 2025, around 12.6 lakh outpatient visits, 19 lakh home visits and 3.3 lakh inpatient palliative care episodes were recorded. However, these are partial-year figures and cannot be directly compared with the full-year 2024 to 25 patient numbers.WHAT PALLIATIVE CARE MEANSPalliative care does not simply mean that doctors have stopped treating a patient. It focusses on:Managing pain and other symptomsSupporting the physical, emotional, social and psychological needs of patients with serious illnessesHelping families cope with caregiving and decision-makingThe government says palliative care is one of the 12 essential services provided through Ayushman Arogya Mandirs. ASHA workers and community volunteers can identify patients who need care at home, conduct visits and help connect families with healthcare services when required.THE HOME CARE QUESTIONThe government has expanded palliative care services considerably, but having services available in 600 districts does not necessarily mean every patient can easily access them at home. A December 2025 parliamentary response noted that palliative care services are being integrated into public healthcare facilities, while home-based services continue to be delivered through trained workers and volunteers.Independent analyses suggest that despite this expansion, less than 4% of the 7 to 10 million people who need palliative care get timely access, with major gaps in rural and remote areas.TheLiverDoc’s post therefore raises a wider healthcare question: when further aggressive treatment is unlikely to provide meaningful benefit, should patients and families be routinely offered information about palliative and home-based care?For many families, the choice may not simply be between “treatment” and “no treatment”. It may be about choosing comfort, dignity and quality of life alongside appropriate medical care, particularly during the final stages of a serious illness.- EndsPublished By: Smarica PantPublished On: Sep 8, 2026 10:43 IST