Augmenting Pathways for a Structured Care Economy: ‘Pain-Free Nilgiris’ Launched by Additional Chief Secretary, Govt. of Tamil Nadu

Govt. Lawley Hospital, Coonoor, 28th February 2026

Pain-Free Nilgiris, a Public–Private-Partnership (PPP) initiative between the Government of Tamil Nadu, the District Administration of the Nilgiris, and the Microland Foundation, was formally launched today by Thiru P. Senthilkumar, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary to the Government of Tamil Nadu.

The launch was held in the presence of senior state and district officials, including Dr. A. Arun Thamburaj, I.A.S., Mission Director – National Health Mission; Mr. Peter Gnanaraj, District Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare Officer; and Tmt. Lakshmi Bhavya Tanneeru, District Collector.

The initiative establishes a structured pathway to strengthen palliative and geriatric care across the district, creating a trained and certified care economy that improves last-mile health delivery. With an estimated population of approximately 8.83 lakh in 2024 (projected from 7.35 lakh in 2011), nearly 22%, or approximately 1.71 lakh people, in the district are elderly and increasingly vulnerable to chronic and degenerative conditions. The district is also home to approximately 3.5% of the tribal population (approximately 27,300 people), many of whom reside in remote, hilly areas with limited access to sustained care. Current estimates suggest that fewer than 1% of those who require palliative support can access structured services, underscoring the urgent need for a decentralized, integrated model of care.

The program aims to improve the quality of life for patients suffering from chronic illnesses, cancer, post-stroke disabilities, and geriatric degenerative conditions. The implementation is in a PPP mode, with Microland Foundation and the Nilgiris District Administration joining hands with the Government of Tamil Nadu and SMEs such as Pallium India. The program aligns with the state government’s flagship outreach initiative Makkalai Thedi Maruthuvam (Healthcare at Doorstep), launched in 2021.

Universal screening of adults aged 18 and above is conducted across the district. Women Health Volunteers (WHVs) will identify patients requiring pain and palliative care during household visits. Mid-level health care providers and palliative care staff nurses will coordinate structured follow-up care. A dedicated physiotherapist and palliative care nurse will support each block of the district to ensure comprehensive home-based services. Referral linkages with the Nilgiris Government Medical College Hospital and other government health facilities have been strengthened for advanced care and specialist support.

Pain-Free Nilgiris builds upon existing best practices within the district, including Non-Communicable Disease (NCD) clinics, Health & Wellness Centers, frontline ASHA and WHV networks, and hospital-based services, while integrating national and regional palliative care practices to strengthen coordination and continuity.

The initiative focuses on:

• Capacity building of clinical and non-clinical cadres
• Integration of WHVs and ASHAs into structured referral pathways
• Creation of decentralized Nodal Centers
• Establishment of device banks, home care teams, and medicine pools
• Telemedicine and helpline integration
• Convergence with welfare and tribal outreach systems

Speaking at the launch, senior leaders underscored the significance of the initiative:

Thiru P. Senthilkumar, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary to the Government of Tamil Nadu, said:
“Taking geriatric and palliative care to the community level requires coordinated effort, and only community-based models can be truly sustainable. Pain-Free Nilgiris is the right step to extend services beyond secondary and tertiary hospitals into the community, whether for cancer, organ failure, neurological disorders, or chronic illness in the elderly. The program correctly focuses on early identification, community engagement, capacity building, uninterrupted access to medicines, and home-based services, while recognizing that pain is not only physical but also emotional and social. With strong collaboration between the District Administration, medical teams, Microland Foundation, and NGOs, this can become a model for Tamil Nadu and beyond.”

Dr. A. Arun Thamburaj, IAS, Mission Director – NHM, Tamil Nadu, said:
“Through NHM, we have invested significantly in Health & Wellness Centers, NCD screening, and frontline workforce strengthening. Pain-Free Nilgiris builds on that foundation. By integrating WHVs, ASHAs, PHCs, and hospitals within a clear referral pathway, the district is creating a structured continuum of care. This model can serve as a learning framework for other districts.”

Tmt. Lakshmi Bhavya Tanneeru, IAS, District Collector, Nilgiris, said:
“Pain-Free Nilgiris is a PPP initiative and builds on Tamil Nadu’s outreach-based healthcare model, particularly the success of Makkalai Thedi Maruthuvam. It addresses the growing need for structured palliative and geriatric care in our geographically challenging district. Through universal screening of adults aged 18 years and above, WHVs identifying patients during household visits, dedicated physiotherapists and palliative care nurses at the block level and strengthened referral linkages with Nilgiris Government Medical College Hospital and other institutions, we are adopting a systems approach to pain management and home-based care. With structured capacity building and strong public–private collaboration with Microland Foundation, this initiative aims to reduce suffering, minimize unnecessary hospital admissions, and ensure dignity and quality of life for every resident.”

Speaking at the launch, Mrs. Kalpana Kar, Managing Trustee, Microland Foundation, said:
“Pain-Free Nilgiris is a natural progression of our work in the district. Through our partnerships with health institutions, NGOs, and community networks, we recognized that while infrastructure and services are improving, the experience of chronic pain and long-term illness remains fragmented. The district already has infrastructure and committed professionals. This initiative brings together integration, capacity building, referral systems, home care, the power of technology, and welfare linkages into a coordinated framework. Our vision is to support the Nilgiris in building a sustainable, district-owned model for integrated palliative care.”

A Pathway for a Care Economy

By integrating institutional capacity, community engagement, technology-enabled implementation, telemedicine, helplines, and monitoring systems within existing public health frameworks, Pain-Free Nilgiris seeks to reduce hospital burden, strengthen home-based care, and ensure that no citizen experiences unmanaged pain due to fragmentation or inaccessibility. The launch marks the beginning of a phased rollout, with implementation set to commence immediately in selected taluks.

About Microland Foundation

Microland Foundation was established in 2016 with a commitment to a paradigm shift in the arenas of Employability, Health, Education, and Environment. In each of these thrust areas, they have identified the intended impacts which are reflective of the needs of the communities they work with. Their projects leverage technology and are not in silos but intersect with one another. They are guided by the principles of incubation, ownership, replicability, and scalability as an approach to enabling social change. In their journey to champion social impact, experimenting with innovative ideas to solve complex challenges whilst preserving and leveraging communities’ cultural and traditional knowledge is at the core of all their initiatives. They constantly seek collaborative partners, across NGOs, civil society, and governmental agencies who help address the community needs in a sustainable way. 

For more information, visit: https://www.microland.com/about/microland-foundation

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