[India] Challenges and ethical considerations of palliative care in Indian prisons

[India] Challenges and ethical considerations of palliative care in Indian prisons
Journal of Pain and Symptom Management; by Swapnil Kumar Barasker, Pankaj Singhai, Maya Nair, Deepali Kumar; 8/25
The landscape of palliative care (PC) in India is still nascent, and when applied to the prison setting, it becomes a terrain fraught with unique challenges. There is a dearth of region-specific perspectives on end-of-life care (EOLC) and PC in Indian prisons. In Indian prisons, EOLC is complicated by issues such as overcrowding, inadequate medical facilities, and the societal neglect of incarcerated individuals, yet the need for it remains largely unrecognized... Prison deaths are frequently associated with brutality or neglect, but statistics reveal that most deaths occur due to natural causes such as ischemic heart disease, pneumonia, cancer, and liver and kidney disorders. Despite many prisoners having chronic illnesses, they often lack regular follow-ups and access to appropriate care due to insufficient medical staff and infrastructure.