Launch Overview

On July 23, 2026, STAR Cancer Centre at STAR Hospitals, Nanakramguda, Hyderabad officially launched a dedicated Pain & Palliative Care Services for Cancer Patients. The launch ceremony was inaugurated by Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu, Hon’ble Former Vice President of India, and attended by senior hospital leadership including Dr. Gopichand Mannam (Chairman & Founding Promoter), Dr. Ramesh Gudapati (Director & Founding Promoter), Dr. Sainath Bhethanabhotla (Sr. Consultant & Head, Medical Oncology), Dr. Vipin Goel (Sr. Consultant & Head, Surgical Oncology), former director Mr. Jairaj Kumar, philanthropist Mr. Pradeep Chowdary, and other distinguished guests.

Key Participants and Felicitations

  • Mr. Pradeep Chowdhry, Managing Director of Gemini Edibles and Fats India Ltd, was recognized for sponsoring free cancer treatments for under‑privileged patients.
  • Dr. Gowda Sreehari, Sr. Consultant – Surgical Oncology, was honoured for achieving 1,000 free cancer surgeries.
  • Dr. Gayatri Palat, Associate Professor, Pain & Palliative Medicine at MNJ Institute of Oncology and Regional Cancer Center, was felicitated for pioneering dedicated palliative care services in the public sector.
  • STAR Hospitals staff members received commendations for extraordinary selflessness, empathy, and devotion to patient wellbeing.

Service Features

The newly introduced service provides a 360‑degree continuum of care designed to improve quality of life at every stage of a cancer patient’s journey:

  • Early Intervention: Symptom and pain management integrated from Day 1 of diagnosis, running parallel to chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery.
  • Advanced Pain Relief: Utilises targeted interventional procedures such as nerve blocks and intrathecal pumps, alongside customized WHO step‑ladder analgesic protocols.
  • Multidisciplinary Support: Includes psycho‑oncology, nutritional counselling, physical rehabilitation, and 24/7 emergency pain support.

Statements from Leaders

  • Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu praised STAR Hospitals for being the first private hospital in Hyderabad to embed a full‑scale Pain & Palliative Oncology Service, emphasizing the commitment to holistic, patient‑centred cancer care.
  • Dr. Sainath Bhethanabhotla highlighted that integrating palliative care from the outset adds comfort, dignity, and strength to patients throughout treatment.
  • Dr. Vipin Goel noted that while surgical interventions aim to cure or manage disease, relieving pain and restoring daily comfort is equally vital, and the dedicated service enables seamless procedural pain control.
  • Dr. Ramesh Gudapati reflected on STAR Hospitals’ founding promise of combining clinical precision with deep empathy, stating that the new service realizes that promise.
  • Dr. Gopichand Mannam reiterated that true excellence is measured not only by cures but by the depth of care provided at every stage of a patient’s journey.