Govt unveils health plan for elderly ……..Kounteya Sinha
Releases Funds For Prog To Be Rolled Out In 21 States By 2012
Releases Funds For Prog To Be Rolled Out In 21 States By 2012
New Delhi: India has finally woken up to the needs of the countrys elderly.With the number of people in the 60-plus age group expected to rise to 100 million in 2013 and 198 million in 2030,the health ministry is all set to roll out the National Programme for the Health Care of the Elderly (NPHCE).
A ministry note,available with TOI,estimates that the elderly population will rise to 12% by 2025,10% of which would be bedridden,requiring utmost care.Thats why,we have formulated NPHCE to address various health-related problems of the elderly.The programme has got final approval from the expenditure finance committee.The ministry has already finalized operational guidelines and sent it to states for implementation, joint secretary B K Prasad said.
Prasad added that funds were already being released and by 2012,the programme,designed to be preventive,curative and rehabilitative for the elderly, would be rolled out in 100 districts of 21 states.According to the note,India will soon become home to the second largest number of older people in the world.
However,the challenges are unique with this population in India.A majority (80%) of them are in the rural areas thus making service delivery a challenge,feminisation of the elderly population (51% of the elderly population would be women by 2016),increase in the number of the older-old (persons above 80 years) and 30% of the elderly are below poverty line, the note said.
Under the programme,district hospitals are being aided to start a 10-bedded geriatric ward.Eight regional 30-bedded geriatric centres are being set up in places like AIIMS,PGI Chandigarh,Government Medical College in Jaipur and Madras Medical College.In the sub-centres,male health workers will be trained to make domiciliary visits to the elderly in areas under their jurisdiction.
They will give special attention to the elderly who are bedridden and provide training to the family in looking after the disabled.