Source: PIB & Ministry of Health & Family Welfare
The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare had launched the “National Programme for the Health Care of the Elderly” (NPHCE) during 2010-11 to address various health-related problems of elderly people.
Objectives :
- To provide an easy access to promotional, preventive, curative and rehabilitative services to the elderly through community based primary health care approach
- To identify health problems in the elderly and provide appropriate health interventions in the community with a strong referral backup support.
- To build the capacity of the medical and paramedical professionals as well as the care-takers within the family for providing health care to the elderly.
- To provide referral services to elderly patients through district hospitals, regional medical institutions
- Convergence with National Rural Health Mission, AYUSH and other line departments like the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
The salient features of the programme are as follows:
- Setting up of the Geriatric department in identified Regional Geriatric Centres (RGC) with OPD care services and 30 bedded Geriatric ward for providing indoor services.
- Setting up of 10 bedded Geriatric units at District Hospitals that will provide specialist services.
- Establishment of Rehabilitation unit at all Community Health Centres (CHCs) and Geriatric clinic twice/week.
- Setting up weekly Geriatric clinic by trained medical Officer at Primary Health Centres (PHCs).
- Information, Education, and Communication(IEC) on healthy lifestyle, home care to the bedridden and supportive devices for the needy elderly persons at the sub-centre level.
The programme is being implemented under the Non-Communicable Disease (NCD) flexible pool within the overarching umbrella of the National Health Mission for Districts and below in the States.
