New Delhi, 16 March 2021: Longitudinal Aging Study of India Wave-1 has collected information on chronic conditions in elderly above 60 years of age, as given below:

Self reported prevalence of chronic conditions
S.N. Condition Percentage
1 Hypertension 32%
2 Stroke 2.7 %
3 Diabetes & High blood sugar 14.2 %
4 Chronic Lung Disease 8.3 %

National Policy for Older Person (NPOP)-1999 was formulated by MoSJ&E with the goal of ensuring well-being of older persons. There are 14 Principle Areas of Intervention are Under NPOP-1999, of which one of the principle areas of intervention is Health Care & Nutrition.

The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare had launched the “National Programme for the Health Care of Elderly” (NPHCE) during 2010-11 to address various health related problems of elderly people. The National Programme for the Health Care for the Elderly (NPHCE) is an articulation of the International and national commitments of the Government as envisaged under the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), National Policy on Older Persons (NPOP) adopted by the Government of India in 1999 & Section 20 of “The Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007” dealing with provisions for medical care of Senior Citizen.

The programme is State oriented and basic thrust of the programme is to provide dedicated health care facilities to the senior citizens (>60 year of age) at various level of primary, secondary and tertiary health care.

Objectives:

  • To provide accessible, affordable, and high-quality long-term, comprehensive and dedicated care services to an Ageing population;
  • Creating a new “architecture” for Ageing; to build a framework to create an enabling environment for “a Society for all Ages”;
  • To promote the concept of Active and Healthy Ageing;
  • Convergence with National Rural Health Mission, AYUSH and other line departments like Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment

Package of Services:

  • Tertiary care services through OPD and in-door facilities, development of specialized human resource through various courses in geriatric medicine as well as research at Regional Geriatric Centers and national centre for aging.
  • Secondary and Primary care services at district hospitals and sub district level through geriatric clinics, investigations & rehabilitation services, domiciliary visits by the rehabilitation worker for bed-ridden elderly and counseling to family members for care of such patients and Health Education.

The Minister of State (Health and Family Welfare), Sh. Ashwini Kumar Choubey stated this in a written reply in the RajyaSabha here today.