National Programme for Health Care of the Elderly

The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare has launched “National Programme for the Health Care of Elderly” (NPHCE) during 11th Plan period to address various health related problems of elderly people, keeping in view the recommendations made in the “National Policy on Older Persons” as well as the State’s obligation under the “Maintenance & Welfare of Parents & Senior Citizens Act 2007”. 

The aim of the NPHCE programme is to provide separate and specialized comprehensive healthcare to the senior citizens at various level of State healthcare delivery system including outreach services. The major components of the NPHCE during 11th Five Year Plan were establishment of 30 bedded Department of Geriatric in 8 identified Regional Medical Institutions (Regional Geriatric Centres) in different parts of the country and to provide dedicated health care facilities in District Hospitals, CHCs, PHCs and Sub Centres in 100 identified districts of 21 States. The programme is being implemented in a phased manner and initially 100 districts have been selected from 21 States in 11th FYP. It is proposed to cover more districts under the programme and develop 12 additional Regional Geriatric Centres in selected Medical Colleges of the country during 12th Five Year Plan . 

As per latest reports, Geriatric OPD has been opened at 5 Institutes viz. All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi; Grants Medical College & JJ Hospital, Mumbai;Sher-I-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS); Govt. Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram and Guwahati Medical College, Assam. Among the States, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Haryana, Jammu & Kashmir, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Sikkim, Orissa, Punjab and Rajasthan have reported opening of Geriatric OPD/Ward at various District Hospitals. Bi-weekly Geriatric Clinic at CHCs started at Bilaspur, Jashpur Nagar and Raipur (Chhattisgarh), Mewat and Yamuna Nagar (Haryana), Leh (J&K) and Shimoga& Kola (Karnataka). Weekly Geriatric Clinics at PHCs have been started at Mewat (Haryana), Leh (J&K) and Shimoga&Kolar (Karnataka). 

Plan for 2013-14: 

? Establishment of National Institute of Aging at AIIMS, New Delhi and Madras Medical College, Chennai. 

? Continuation of programme activities in the existing 100 districts and 8 Regional Geriatric Centres. 

? Add four (4) new Regional Geriatric Centres. 

? Add more districts in a phased manner.