India: not a country to die in

Abstract

This commentary addresses the issue of disproportionate medical interventions for end-of-life patients. A complex mix of sociocultural and medical factors, against the backdrop of the legal milieu, has an impact on the quality of death. The barriers to appropriate end-of-life and palliative care in India are multilayered and not easy to dismantle. To raise the level of care for the dying in India, currently rated among the worst in the world, it would require no less than a nationwide movement. This paper attempts to bring into the open the areas of concern for discussion, and proposes appropriate legislation for a realistic solution.