Dying with dignity: Breaking the taboo around 'living wills' in India

In a bid to empower individuals to make informed decisions about their end-of-life care, health activists and institutions are now working to raise awareness about living wills in India. The concept of advanced medical directives (AMDs), also known as living wills, allows people to choose the medical care they want to receive if they develop a terminal illness or condition with no hope of recovery.
Last year, IP Yadev, a surgeon from Kerala's southern state, was confronted with one of the toughest decisions of his life when he had to decide whether to keep his terminally ill father alive on ventilator support. The experience deeply affected him and led him to realize the importance of advance medical directives. Now, Dr Yadev is spearheading India's first programme to educate people about living wills, which offers information in person and over the phone.
Yadev's initiative comes as a significant step towards breaking down the taboo surrounding death, which is still considered an uncomfortable topic in Indian culture. The idea of creating a living will requires open and honest conversations between family members about end-of-life care. Despite initial resistance, activists and institutions are taking steps to raise awareness, with Kerala setting an example.
The state with the country's best palliative care network has seen around 30 people sign living wills in March, according to Dr E Divakaran, founder of a Pain and Palliative Care society in Thrissur city. This growing interest suggests that efforts to educate the public are finally paying off.
As awareness campaigns gain momentum, experts expect more Indians to consider making their own living wills. However, issues with the existing mechanism to implement these documents remain. With many state governments yet to set up custodian systems to submit and store the documents, individuals like Dr Nikhil Datar from Mumbai continue to face challenges in getting their living wills registered.
Despite these hurdles, Dr Yadev remains optimistic about changing attitudes towards death and end-of-life care in India. "With grassroot awareness campaigns," he says, "we're expecting more people from diverse demographics to consider making a living will."
As the quest for transparency and informed decision-making continues to grow, one thing is certain – India's approach to the idea of living wills is finally moving towards breaking down its culture taboo around death.