Oasis

BACKGROUND

Established in 1993 under the leadership of Dr. M.R. Rajagopal, often referred to as the “father of palliative care in India,” the Institute emerged as a beacon of compassion and care for those suffering from terminal illnesses. Initially founded as a small clinic, IPM swiftly expanded its services and expertise, becoming one of the leading institutions in the world dedicated to palliative care.

The Campus & Context

Located near Govt. Medical College, Kozhikode, the Institute of Palliative Medicine includes a main palliative block, a guest house block, two residential blocks, an auditorium block, an open air theatre and a discussion pavilion inside the 7.5 acre campus. The IPM campus is surrounded by the Tertiary Cancer Care Centre on the west, Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences on the north, a large vacant plot owned by the Medical College on the south and a group of residential buildings towards the east. The terrain has an undulating topography, marked by steep contours within the site. The entire campus is enveloped by lush greenery, creating a tranquil enclave shielded from the bustle of the surrounding areas. This greenery not only enhances the aesthetics of the IPM but also contributes to the serene ambiance vital for patient care and well-being. The north-western part of the campus consists of very thick vegetation filled with densely packed trees. A small kaavu (ritualistic prayer area) is also present within the dense vegetation inside the campus. The campus site has heavily contoured landscape with thick vegetation around its lowest contour and a comparatively flat open land along the highest contour. The main palliative building is located on the moderately flat region in between the contours with pedestrian paths running throughout the campus connecting the building blocks with each other.

Satellite map of the IPM campus

Context map of the IPM campus

Isometric representaion of the existing campus

Existing Conditions & IIA-KC’s Proposal

outdoor areas converted to equipment dumping yards

Deteriorations in overall structure

During the visit to IPM, it was evident that many sections of the main palliative block remained unused, used as equipment dumping yards, resulting in diminished activity in these spaces. Courtyards were neglected, overgrown with grass and bushes, rendering them unsuitable for public use. Moreover, signs of deterioration were observed around the building structures, highlighting the urgent need for maintenance and refurbishment efforts.IIA put forward a new masterplan that aims to preserve the essence of the place by keeping interventions minimal, while introducing better recreational areas around the campus. The unused passage structure of the palliative block was demolished to make way for a new large recreational plaza. The porch was also proposed to be relocated to the southern part of the palliative block. Creation of a new play area atop the highest contour, along with the relocation of the discussion pavilion is also a significant addition. The north-western section of the campus, with dense vegetation, naturally offered shade and thermal comfort to the outdoor activity areas. Consequently, it was preserved in its original state to maintain the site’s inherent natural attributes.

BEFORE

AFTER

Activities inside the campus

The IPM outpatient clinic diagnoses around 30 to 40 people per day. More than 2000 patients with major problems related to old age, cancer, stroke, spinal injuries etc. register as new patients every year. In the past 25+ years IPM was able to provide services to almost 50,000 patients and their families. IPM has a 30 bed inpatient unit for moribund patients with advanced diseases, preparing them to greet death in the least painful way possible. Patients with difficult physical/ emotional symptoms, patients with HIV/AIDS, bedridden patients and patients whose problems could not be resolved in OP care are also admitted for round the clock care. What sets IPM apart from conventional hospice care is the compassionate approach through whichthe organisation extends its hand to anyone in need, totally free of cost, constantly reassuring that the people of IPM are always there for them and they will always be treated as a member of the family.

The home care program of Palliative Care Society, Calicut is the only place in the country with a round the clock home care service. IPMS’s home care covers around 20 to 25 houses each day and has more than 750 patients registered for regular home care in and around the district. Through comprehensive services like diagnosis by doctors, nursing care, distribution of medicines, personal treatment, educational support for children in their family, monthly ration etc. IPM has been able to touch the lives of many families bothinside and outside of the campus.

Discussions with international representatives

IPM is one of the well-known palliative training centres in the world providing certification courses and fellowship programs. There are regular WHOCC certified courses for professionals and non-medical patient care/communication skill training programs. The Fellowship Program aims to create a group of palliative care workers with an in-depth knowledge of core issues in organising palliative care at the grass root level and well versed with the recent advances and challenges in palliative regionally, and globally.

IPM cultivates around 4000 to 5000 palliative care volunteers per year. The volunteers at IPM have their own organisational wing entrusted with the responsibilities of the activities in the campus. This gives the volunteers a sense of freedom to become part of the decision making process of the Institute. This is one of the major reasons why volunteers tend to frequently come back to the campus even after completing their training. The volunteers are primarily the ones who take up various fundraising initiatives, cultural programs and several other awareness programs of IPM.

Fundraising through cake making challenge

The annual Curios is the largestPalliative Care Carnival organized by IPM and envisioned by its youth volunteers.Curios is the grandest fundraising initiative orchestrated by the institute. The festival hosted in the beginning of each year brings together individuals from diverse backgrounds, including healthcare professionals, artists, educators, and members of the public onto the IPM campus. Through a vibrant array of workshops, performances, exhibitions, and discussions, the Curios carnival helps promote the ethos of holistic care championed by IPM to a wider audience. Curios is conducted entirely at IPM’s campus and is open to both local and international communities. The intention behind Curios is to blend palliation with festivity to raise awareness about palliative care, promote death literacy, and as fundraising for patient care. Through propagating awareness about palliative care, Curios aims to generate compassionate communities with a deeply-rooted understanding of empathy. Each year, the Curios festival sets up commercial stalls in an attempt to sell the products made by the IPM residentsto bring in donations from the thousands of people visiting the institute at the time of the fest. The funds collected from the initiative are transferred onto various rehabilitation projects and facilitation programs for the IPM residents.

Glimpse of previous Curios fest

Organisation structres of IPM

IPM has played a key role in shaping the globally renowned “Kerala Model” of palliative care with an emphasis to strengthening the social aspect of patient care. The representatives at IPM believe that patients can be healed with the help of a compassionate environment, thus working tirelessly to provide and promote quality care to everyone who arrives at the organisation seeking refuge.The institute operates 24/7 to cater to inpatient needs and designates their daytime hours for outpatient services. Research and training facilities maintain regular office hours whilepalliative volunteers would often remain on campus throughout the day. IPM provides timely home care services for registered patients around the district through its on call mobile healthcare unit.

Functioning structure of IPM

We’ll be sharing more insights into the design interventions and strategies that are shaping the future of the IPM campus. Keep an eye on our blog for updates on this transformative project.