Manipur marked a significant milestone in public health this November with a rare combination of academic strength and humane outreach. From 22–23 November, JNIMS Imphal hosted PALLICON 2025, drawing more than 600 participants from premier institutions across India, alongside experts from the Institute of Palliative Medicine (IPM) Calicut and the NHS UK.
The scientific sessions explored ethics, pain management, communication, end-of-life care, paediatric palliation, and community-based approaches. What stood out was the presence of caregivers, youth volunteers, and civil society groups—voices that grounded the conference in lived experience rather than theory.
Dr. N. Hemantakumar, Director of Health Services Manipur, underscored the state’s steady progress. He highlighted the statewide tele-ICU network that has supported more than seven thousand patients and emphasised that palliative care “is a continuum—beginning at diagnosis and extending even after death through bereavement support.”
On 24 November, the momentum shifted toward a quieter but historic achievement: Manipur’s first structured Bereavement Companionship Workshop, organised by the State Health Department at Classic Grande. It was the first such programme conducted by any state in Northeast India.
Opening the workshop, Dr. L. Tilakeswari Devi, State Nodal Officer for Palliative Care, reminded participants that “sometimes a silent presence heals more than medicine.” The workshop introduced the TEAR model of grief and trained frontline workers—doctors, nurses, CHOs, ASHAs, and ANMs—to offer culturally sensitive support to families after loss.
Dr. Y. Premchandra Singh, Joint Director of Health Services and SNO–NCD, described the workshop as “the missing link” in care, noting that while medical treatment is strong, families often navigate grief alone.
Together, PALLICON 2025 and the bereavement workshop signal a new direction for Manipur—one where scientific excellence and compassionate care move forward hand in hand.
